Bill > SB1252

This bill amends the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act to require public bodies to provide a reasonable opportunity for public comment on each agenda item before taking official action. The bill allows public bodies to establish written rules governing public comments, such as limiting the duration of individual comments or total comment time for an agenda item, and requiring individuals to sign up before speaking. These rules must be applied uniformly and be reasonably related to the efficient conduct of the meeting. The bill clarifies that public bodies are not required to permit comments on matters not appearing on the agenda. Additionally, the bill makes minor technical changes to the existing law, such as updating statutory references and making small linguistic modifications (like changing "areawide" to "area-wide"). The provisions will take effect on November 1, 2026, and aim to increase transparency and public participation in government meetings by ensuring citizens have a structured opportunity to provide input on agenda items before decisions are made.

Justice

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1252&Session=2600