The bill amends Section 42-46-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-46, entitled "Open Meetings," to allow for changes in how public bodies, specifically school committees, provide notice of their meetings and handle the addition of agenda items. The bill stipulates that all public bodies must give written notice of their regularly scheduled meetings at the beginning of each calendar year, with the notice including dates, times, and places of the meetings. Additionally, public bodies are required to give at least 48 hours of supplemental written public notice of any meeting, excluding weekends and state holidays, which must include the date the notice was posted, the date, time, and place of the meeting, and a statement specifying the nature of the business to be discussed.

The bill introduces new provisions for school committees, allowing them to add items to their meeting agendas for discussion purposes only, without the intention of voting on those items, under certain conditions. These conditions include the requirement that the revised agenda be electronically filed with the secretary of state and posted on the school district's website at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The bill also outlines the process for emergency meetings and the handling of public comments during meetings. The act would take effect upon passage, and any failure to comply with the notice transmission requirements could result in a complaint being filed with the attorney general.

Statutes affected:
2426: 42-46-6