House Bill No. 615 aims to enhance transparency in public meetings by requiring certain public bodies in Louisiana to broadcast their meetings live. The bill amends existing law 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 their meetings live. However, it exempts boards or commissions representing districts entirely within municipalities with populations under 10,000 or parishes with populations under 25,000. Additionally, the bill stipulates that all meetings must be recorded and made available to the public for at least two years on the respective board or commission's website or social media platforms.

The bill also requires that public notices for these meetings include sufficient information to help the public locate the broadcast. It retains the definition of "broadcast live" as the real-time distribution of audio and video via the internet or television. Furthermore, it clarifies that technological failures beyond the control of the public body will not constitute a violation of the Open Meetings Law, and it maintains the exclusion of executive sessions from the live broadcast requirement. Overall, the bill seeks to improve public access to governmental proceedings while ensuring that certain smaller entities are not burdened by these requirements.

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