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20 Feb, 2023

Proposed law would require public comment periods
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Proposed law would require public comment periods

Legislature, public comment

Proposed law would require public comment periods

By Deborah Fisher|2023-02-20T10:02:07-06:00February 20, 2023|Categories: Legislature, public comment|Tags: public comment, Rep. Elaine Davis, Sen. Adam Lowe|0 Comments

Public comment periods would be required at governing body meetings under a bill filed by Knoxville state representative Elaine Davis and Calhoun senator Adam Lowe. The bill allows governing body members to set rules around public comment periods, such as limiting the amount of time of the period and the amount of time of each speaker. The bill requires a public comment period for citizens to comment on items "that are germane to the items on the agenda for the meeting."

28 Dec, 2021

Let the people speak at public meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2023-02-20T10:17:24-06:00December 28, 2021|Categories: Open Meetings, public comment|Tags: First Amendment, public comment|0 Comments

Governing bodies such as school boards and county commissions should be careful about their rules on public comment. They may regulate the public comment period to protect the safety and the orderly flow of a meeting. But barring someone just because they are critical or express antagonistic views violates free speech rights and is repressive.

19 Jul, 2021

6th Circuit says school board’s public comment rules violate First Amendment

By Deborah Fisher|2023-02-20T10:16:43-06:00July 19, 2021|Categories: Open Meetings, public comment|Tags: 6th Circuit, First Amendment, free speech, public comment, public meetings|1 Comment

A citizen cannot be thrown out of a public meeting simply because he or she offends, antagonizes or harshly criticizes a governing body or members of a governing body during public comment period, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals said this month.

22 Feb, 2016

Hamblen County decides to exclude public comments from videotape

By Deborah Fisher|2023-02-20T10:21:09-06:00February 22, 2016|Categories: Open Meetings, public comment|Tags: Bill Britain, Hamblen County, Linda Noe, meeting videotape, Morristown, public comment|0 Comments

The Hamblen County Commission has decided to exclude the public comments from the videotape of its meetings, which is shown on a public education channel. Linda Noe, an attorney in Morristown, posted on her blog her own video of the meeting in which she questioned commissioners about the decision. In the video, County Mayor Bill Brittain responds to a question from a commissioner about telling the videographer to turn off the equipment when the public comments portion of the meeting started, saying it was "in the best interest of the meeting." Later, the commission chairman says that not taping the public comments was a "compromise" to ending the videotaping of [...]