HOUSE BILL NO. 1720 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE WEST.
5056H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 67, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to meetings of governing bodies of political subdivisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 67, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 67.2727, to read as follows: 67.2727. 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean: 2 (1) "Governing body", the governing body of a political subdivision; 3 (2) "Meeting", any meeting of a governing body; 4 (3) "Political subdivision", any county, city, town, or village. 5 2. Before July 1, 2027, each governing body shall adopt a meeting speaker policy 6 to ensure that the requirements listed in this subsection are followed at each meeting of 7 the governing body: 8 (1) Each governing body shall designate a time for public comment at the 9 beginning of each regular public meeting. Such public comment period shall be 10 available to residents, businesses, and taxpayers of the political subdivision and shall be 11 subject to reasonable rules requiring decorum and civility in the meeting space; 12 (2) No governing body shall restrict the category or content of remarks during 13 such public comment period; 14 (3) A governing body may set a time limit on any individual who desires to speak 15 at a meeting. Each such time limit shall designate not less than three minutes per 16 speaker. The governing body may limit the public comment period to one hour of actual 17 testimony or twenty speakers, whichever is less based on the number of minutes
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1720 2
18 designated per speaker. If the time designated for the public comment period expires 19 and additional speakers were not afforded the time to speak, such additional speakers 20 shall have the opportunity to speak at the public comment period of the next regular 21 public meeting and the governing body shall provide an alternate method of 22 communicating such additional speakers' concerns to the governing body; 23 (4) Each governing body may request identifying information of each individual 24 desiring to speak, but shall not require any information other than the name and 25 address of the individual as a condition of speaking; 26 (5) No governing body shall ban an individual from attending or remove an 27 individual from participating in a meeting unless such individual is banned or removed 28 because such individual commits the offense of peace disturbance as provided in section 29 574.010, has previously been removed from a meeting and issued a summons for the 30 offense of peace disturbance under section 574.010, or is prohibited from being on 31 property of the political subdivision under state law; and 32 (6) Each governing body shall provide a method for an individual who is unable 33 to attend the public comment period of a meeting to submit a written statement. Any 34 such written statement submitted before the beginning of the meeting shall be provided 35 to the governing body and made available to all individuals attending such meeting and 36 to the public upon request unless such written statement violates the policies or rules 37 established for the public comment period. 38 3. If it is necessary to hold a meeting on less than twenty-four hours' notice, or if 39 the meeting will be conducted exclusively electronically, or at a time that is not 40 reasonably convenient to the public, the nature of the good cause justifying that 41 departure from the normal requirements shall be stated in the minutes. Meetings held 42 in person and not otherwise subject to being closed under section 610.021 shall be 43 conducted in a manner that allows physical in-person public attendance. ✔
Statutes affected: