Bill > HB378

This bill amends the Open Meetings Act to require public bodies, such as boards and commissions, to allow oral public comment from citizens before taking final action on matters of public policy or business. This comment can be either during a general comment period or immediately before a specific item is discussed and voted on, with the public body needing to ensure a reasonable amount of time is allocated for both individual and total public input, and to allow for a diversity of viewpoints. The bill also renumbers existing sections of the law, including those that outline exceptions to open meetings and procedures for closed meetings, but these exceptions and procedures remain largely unchanged. The Open Meetings Act, or "the Act," is a law designed to ensure that government affairs and official actions are transparent and accessible to the public.