Bill > HB1720

This bill establishes comprehensive requirements for public meetings of local government bodies (such as county, city, town, or village governing bodies) in Missouri, mandating that before July 1, 2027, each governing body must adopt a meeting speaker policy that ensures a designated public comment period at the beginning of every regular public meeting. During this period, residents, businesses, and taxpayers can speak without content restrictions, with each speaker guaranteed at least three minutes, and the entire public comment period limited to one hour or twenty speakers. The bill requires that governing bodies allow public attendance, permit speakers to provide only their name and address, and prohibit banning individuals from meetings except in specific circumstances involving peace disturbance. Additionally, the bill mandates that governing bodies provide an alternate method for individuals unable to attend meetings to submit written statements, and requires that any meetings held with less than 24 hours' notice or conducted electronically must clearly state the justification in the meeting minutes. The policy aims to ensure transparency, accessibility, and fair public participation in local government meetings while maintaining reasonable decorum and civility.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1720&year=2026&code=R