2014 -- S 2638

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LC004324

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - OPEN MEETINGS

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, and Paiva Weed

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-46 of the General Laws entitled "Open Meetings" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following section:

     42-46-5.1. Authorization of remote participation in meetings. – (a) Notwithstanding

the provisions of § 42-46-5(b), cities and towns are empowered to establish procedures allowing

remote participation of members of their advisory boards and working groups, by means of video

conferencing, as long as the following conditions are met:

     (1) The city or town council makes a determination that it would be beneficial to the

affected board or working group.

     (2) It may be utilized twice in a calendar year if the chairperson or acting chairperson

determines that one or more of the following factors make the member’s physical attendance

unreasonably difficult:

     (i) Personal illness;

     (ii) Emergency; or

     (iii) Geographic distance.

     (b) The advisory board or working group must have a quorum of members physically

present at the time the meeting convenes at the appointed time and place and remain for the

duration of the meeting.

     (c) Any member of an advisory board or working group who wishes to participate

remotely shall, as soon as reasonably possible prior to a meeting, notify the chairperson or acting

chairperson of his or her desire to do so and the reason for and facts supporting his or her request.

     (d) At the start of the meeting, the chairperson or acting chairperson shall announce the

name of any member who will be participating remotely and the reason for his or her remote

participating. This information shall be recorded in the meeting minutes.

     (e) When feasible, the chairperson, or acting chairperson shall distribute to remote

participants in advance of the meeting, copies of any documents or exhibits that he or she

reasonably anticipates that he or she reasonably will be used during the meeting. If used during

the meeting, such documents shall be part of the official record of the advisory board’s meeting

and shall be listed in the meeting minutes and retained with the minutes of said meeting.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - OPEN MEETINGS

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     This act would create an exception to the open meeting’s law to allow members of

municipality’s advisory boards or working groups to remotely participate in their meetings

through video conferencing, under limited circumstances.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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