Bill Would Require State Agencies, Local Boards of Elections To Live-Stream Meetings
After a lengthy battle to get the State Board of Elections to broadcast its meetings online, Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery) wants to require all executive branch agencies and local boards of elections to live-stream their meetings.
In addition to the live-streaming requirement, Kagan’s Senate Bill 72 would require those agencies to post all of their meeting materials and agendas online at least 48 hours before each open meeting, and allow public access to archived meeting recordings and minutes.
The bill, which is cross-filed in the House by Del. Marc Korman (D-Montgomery) allows state agencies and local boards of elections leeway in the event of emergencies and other “unanticipated situations,” according to a Department of Legislative Services analysis.
Longtime journalist Tom Sherwood described Maryland as a “backwater” in terms of government transparency in a Maryland Matters article last year. That article found that various state agencies, including the Open Meetings Compliance Board, either rarely or never live-streamed their meetings.
Read more: https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/02/03/bill-would-require-state-agencies-local-boards-of-elections-to-live-stream-meetings/