Bill > B26-0208

This bill amends the Open Meetings Act to clarify what constitutes a "meeting" for public bodies, generally defining it as any gathering of a quorum where public business is considered, but excluding chance social gatherings and press conferences. It specifically adds the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to the list of public bodies subject to the act and allows public bodies to receive briefings on potential terrorist or public health threats without these briefings being considered meetings if no official action is taken, provided disclosure could endanger the public. The bill also exempts meetings between the Council and the Mayor from the act's requirements, as long as no official action is taken. Furthermore, it modifies the definition of a meeting for the Council to include legislative and committee meetings where votes are taken, and establishes new notice requirements for informal gatherings of Councilmembers that involve public business but were not previously noticed. The bill also updates the requirements for making meetings accessible to the public, stating that a meeting is considered open if reasonable steps are taken to allow the public to view or hear it as it happens, or as soon as possible afterward if technology makes simultaneous viewing or hearing impossible. Finally, it changes the language regarding notice for emergency meetings to an attempt to provide notice, and clarifies that the Council can adopt its own rules for open meetings, but the act applies unless such rules are adopted.