2020 -- H 7518

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LC003987

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, and Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2020

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-46-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-46 entitled "Open

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Meetings" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-46-4. Closed meetings.

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     (a) By open call, a public body may hold a meeting closed to the public upon an

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affirmative vote of the majority of its members. A meeting closed to the public shall be limited to

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matters allowed to be exempted from discussion at open meetings by § 42-46-5. The vote of each

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member on the question of holding a meeting closed to the public and the reason for holding a

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closed meeting, by a citation to a subdivision of § 42-46-5(a), and a statement specifying the

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nature of the business to be discussed, shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the

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meeting. No public body shall discuss in closed session any public matter which does not fall

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within the citations to § 42-46-5(a) referred to by the public body in voting to close the meeting,

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even if these discussions could otherwise be closed to the public under this chapter.

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     (b) All votes taken in closed sessions shall be disclosed once the session is reopened;

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provided, however, a vote taken in a closed session need not be disclosed for the period of time

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during which its disclosure would jeopardize any strategy, negotiation or investigation undertaken

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pursuant to discussions conducted under § 42-46-5(a).

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     (c) A meeting closed to the public shall be recorded by audiotape or other audio

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recording device, and this audiotape or other audio recording shall not be considered a public

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record as defined in chapter 2 of title 38.

 

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     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 require that all meetings closed to the public be audio recorded by audio

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tape or other audio recording device.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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