Sen. Mann wins committee approval for bill expanding Open Meeting Act

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, has won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee for legislation to ensure public voices can be heard before public bodies vote on agenda items. Senate Bill 1420 was approved on Tuesday.

“Many public bodies allow folks to come and comment on issues on the agenda. The problem is, some bodies don’t allow comment until after they’ve voted,” Mann said. “Under my legislation, those public bodies would have to make sure people can express their views before a vote is taken, when it can still have an impact.”

Under SB 1420, those bodies that choose to allow public comment would have to adopt rules about the time, manner, and order of public comment, and it would have to come before agenda items are voted on. Those rules could include time limits and prior registration.

“People are rightfully frustrated if they’re only allowed to comment on an issue after the public body has already voted,” Mann said. “This increases transparency and gives folks a chance to share their views in a timely way. I want to thank the chair for hearing this bill, and I look forward to bringing it to the full Senate.”

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Mark Mann at 405-590-4471 or Mark.Mann@oksenate.gov