Bill > HR9408

This bill, titled the "Open Meetings Act of 2026," amends chapter 15 of title 28 of the United States Code to establish new documentation requirements for meetings of certain conferences and councils, specifically referring to them as "covered meetings." The key provisions require the Judicial Conference, which oversees these bodies, to publish notice of upcoming covered meetings online at least 30 days in advance, including the date, time, place, and agenda, though this notice requirement can be waived for good cause with an explanation provided. Furthermore, all covered meetings must offer live audio streaming accessible to the public for free and without registration, and an archive of these streams must be published online within seven days of the meeting. Exceptions to live streaming are allowed if the matter at issue is prohibited by law from being published or if the conference or council votes by a majority to enter a closed session for sensitive or confidential matters, provided they state the reason for closing the session beforehand.