House Bill No. by Representative Mike Johnson aims to enhance transparency in public meetings by requiring certain public bodies to broadcast their meetings live. The bill amends R.S. 42:19(A)(1)(c) and 23(B) to mandate that public bodies, including nonelected boards or commissions with the authority to levy taxes, state boards or commissions authorized to promulgate rules, and those authorized to impose fines or fees, must broadcast all proceedings live. Additionally, it stipulates that these meetings must be recorded and made available in an online archive for at least two years. The bill also requires that public meeting notices include sufficient information for the public to locate the broadcast.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that parish governing authorities and school boards in parishes with populations of 25,000 or more, as well as municipal governing authorities in municipalities with populations of 10,000 or more, must broadcast their public meetings live. It clarifies that there is no requirement to broadcast committee meetings where members are volunteers. The definition of "broadcast live" is retained, and the bill maintains provisions that exempt executive sessions from the live broadcast requirement and protect public bodies from violations due to technological failures beyond their control.

Statutes affected:
HB615 Original: 42:19(A)(1), 42:23(B)