HB 615 — PUBLIC MEETINGS: Requires certain public meetings to be broadcast live (RE INCREASE SG EX See Note)

HLS 26RS-901 ENGROSSEDREENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

615 BY REPRESENTATIVEREPRESENTATIVES MIKE JOHNSON AND KNOX PUBLIC MEETINGS:

HLS 26RS-901 ENGROSSEDREENGROSSED HB NO.

615 (i) Eachnonelectedboardorcommission thathastheauthorityto levyatax.levyatax, except a board or commission that represents a district that is contained entirely within amunicipalityhavingapopulationoflessthantenthousandpersonsasofthe latest federal decennial census or that is contained entirely within a parish having a populationoflessthantwenty-fivethousandpersonsasofthelatestfederaldecennial census.

(b) Each meeting shall be video recorded and made available to the public in ananonlinearchivelocatedonthewebsiteoftheboardorcommissionoronasocial onlinemedia archiveplatform located on the website of the board or commission for at least two years.

(c) (4) The failure of a public body to broadcast live as required by this ParagraphSubsection dueto atechnologicalfailurebeyondatechnological thefailure controlbeyond ofthe thepubliccontrolofthepublic bodyorbeyondPage its2 abilitytoof resolvetimelyis4 notCODING: aviolation oftheprovisionsofthis Chapter.

(d) (5) The requirement in this Paragraph Subsection for a public body to broadcast its meetings does not apply to any executive session held in accordance with this Chapter.

* * * Page 2 of 4 CODING:

HLS 26RS-901 ENGROSSEDREENGROSSED HB NO.

615 DIGESTbodyorbeyond ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeitsabilitytoresolvetimelyis Services.not aviolation oftheprovisions ofthis Chapter.

(d) (5) The requirement in this Paragraph Subsection for a public body to broadcast its meetings does not apply to any executive session held in accordance with this Chapter.

* * * DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 615 EngrossedReengrossed 2026 Regular Session Mike Johnson Abstract:

FurtherrequiresapublicbodytoFurtherrequiresapublicbodytoestablishstandardsfor establishstandardsfor the use of lighting, recording, or broadcasting equipment to insure proper decorum in a public meeting.

ProposedlawrequiressuchboardsandcommissionstovideobroadcastliveallproceedingsProposedlawexemptssuchboardsandcommissionsthathavetheauthoritytolevyataxthat inrepresent a publicdistrict meeting.that is contained entirelywithin a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 or that is contained entirely within a parish with a population of less than 25,000.

RequiresFurther eachrequires meetingsuch toboards beand commissions to video recordedbroadcast andlive madeall availableproceedings toin thea publicinanonlinearchivelocatedonthewebsiteoftheboardorcommissionforatleasttwopublic years.meeting.

Requires each meeting to be video recorded and made available to the public in an online archive located on the website of the board or commission or on a social media platform for at least two years.

Requires eacheachmeetingto meeting to be recordedrecordedand and made available to the public in an online archive located on the website of the board or commission or on a social media platform for at least two years.

Further excludes executive sessions from the requirement to broadcast live and provides that the failureofapublicbodysubjecttopresentlawtobroadcastliveduetoatechnologicalfailurePage beyond3 the control of the4 publicCODING: bodyor its ability to resolve timely shall not be a violation of present law (Open Meetings Law).

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.

HLS 26RS-901 REENGROSSED HB NO.

615 failureofapublicbodysubjecttopresentlawtobroadcastliveduetoatechnologicalfailure beyond the control of the public bodyor its ability to resolve timely shall not be a violation of present law (Open Meetings Law).

Provides that eacheachitem item on the agenda must be listed separately and described with reasonable specificity.

PageProposedlawfurtherrequireseachboardandcommissionrequiredbyproposedlawtovideo 3broadcast oflive 4its CODING:meetings to include on its meeting notice sufficient information to enable the public to locate the broadcast for viewing.

Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.

HLS 26RS-901 ENGROSSED HB NO.

615 Proposed law further requires each board and commission required by proposed law to broadcast live its meetings to include on its meeting notice sufficient information to enable the public to locate the broadcast for viewing.

The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:

1.

Exempt a board or commission with the authority to levy a tax that represents a district within a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 or a parish with a population of less than 25,000 from the requirements of present law and proposed law.

2.

Authorize recorded meetings to be made available on a social media platform.