Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H4/5/23
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1823
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5 By: Representative V. Flowers
6 By: Senator C. Tucker
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF
10 1967; TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING OPEN PUBLIC
11 MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF
12 1967; TO REQUIRE NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE
13 PUBLISHED ONLINE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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16 Subtitle
17 TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING OPEN PUBLIC
18 MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
19 ACT OF 1967; AND TO REQUIRE NOTICE OF
20 PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE PUBLISHED ONLINE.
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23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 25-19-106(b), concerning open public
26 meetings under the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, is amended to add
27 additional subdivisions to read as follows:
28 (b)(1) The time and place of each regular meeting shall be:
29 (A) Published online at least forty-eight (48) hours
30 before the meeting takes place if the entity or governing body of the entity
31 owns or maintains a website or a social media page; and
32 (B) furnished Furnished at least forty-eight (48) hours
33 before the meeting takes place to anyone who requests the information.
34 (2) In the event of emergency or special meetings, the person
35 calling the meeting shall:
36 (A) notify Notify the representatives of the newspapers,
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 As Engrossed: H4/5/23 HB1823
1 radio stations, and television stations, if any, located in the county in
2 which the meeting is to be held and any news media located elsewhere that
3 cover regular meetings of the governing body and that have requested to be so
4 notified of emergency or special meetings of the time, place, and date of the
5 meeting; and
6 (B) Publish notice of the time, place, and date of the
7 meeting online if the entity or governing body of the entity owns or
8 maintains a website or a social media page.
9 (3) Notification required under subdivisions (b)(2)(A) and (B)
10 of this section shall be made at least two (2) hours before the meeting takes
11 place in order that the public shall have representatives at the meeting.
12 (4) As used in this subsection, "online" means a website or
13 social media page that is owned or maintained by an entity or the governing
14 body of an entity required to have public meetings under subsection (a) of
15 this section.
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17 /s/V. Flowers
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Statutes affected:
Old version HB1823 Original - 3-30-2023 08:00 PM: 25-19-106(b)
Old version HB1823 V2 - 4-5-2023 03:23 PM: 25-19-106(b)
HB 1823: 25-19-106(b)