HLS 22RS-20 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 224
BY REPRESENTATIVE GREGORY MILLER
LEGISLATIVE AGCY/LAW INST: Provides relative to meetings of the Louisiana State
Law Institute
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 24:202(F)(1) and (G), relative to meetings of the Louisiana State
3 Law Institute; to provide for the location of meetings; to provide for meetings via
4 electronic means; to provide for the authority of the Louisiana State Law Institute;
5 to provide for definitions; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 24:202(F)(1) and (G) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
8follows:
9 ยง202. Council; membership; terms; vacancies; meetings
10 * * *
11 F.(1) All meetings of the Louisiana State Law Institute, including but not
12 limited to council, committee, and subcommittee meetings, Council shall be held at
13 a meeting space located in a public building and open to the public for the purposes
14 of the meeting. The institute shall select meeting space that is available without
15 charge or at a reduced cost. At least a majority half of the council Council meetings,
16 and at least a majority of the meetings of each committee, subcommittee or other
17 body of the institute, held each year shall be in Baton Rouge.
18 * * *
19 G.(1) Meetings of the institute shall be subject to the Open Meetings Law
20 and the Public Records Law.
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HB NO. 224
1 (2)(a) Notwithstanding Paragraph (1) of this Subsection or provisions of the
2 Open Meetings Law to the contrary, committees and subcommittees of the institute
3 may conduct periodic meetings via electronic means provided that all of the
4 following requirements are met:
5 (i) No later than twenty-four hours prior to the meeting, the institute shall
6 provide the notice and agenda for the meeting, which shall include information
7 regarding how members of the public may participate in the meeting and submit
8 comments regarding matters on the agenda. The notice and agenda shall be posted
9 on the website of the institute and emailed to any member of the public or the news
10 media who requests notice of the committee or subcommittee's meetings.
11 (ii) The institute shall provide a mechanism to receive public comment
12 electronically both prior to and during the meeting. The institute shall properly
13 identify and acknowledge all public comments during the meeting and shall maintain
14 those comments in its record of the meeting.
15 (iii) The institute shall ensure that each person participating in the meeting
16 is properly identified and that all parts of the meeting, excluding any matter
17 discussed in executive session, are clear and audible to all participants in the
18 meeting, including the public.
19 (iv) A committee or subcommittee shall not conduct successive meetings via
20 electronic means.
21 (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not limit the
22 conduct of meetings via electronic means during a gubernatorially proclaimed or
23 declared disaster or emergency in the manner provided by R.S. 42:17.1.
24 (c) The institute may adopt rules, regulations, and procedures to allow the
25 public to participate in a meeting via electronic means.
26 (d) For purposes of this Paragraph, the following words and phrases shall
27 have the following meanings:
28 (i) "Meeting via electronic means" shall mean a meeting occurring via
29 teleconference or video conference.
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HB NO. 224
1 (ii) "Teleconference" shall mean a method of communication that enables
2 persons in different locations to participate in a meeting and to hear and otherwise
3 communicate with each other.
4 (iii) "Video conference" shall mean a method of communication that enables
5 persons in different locations to participate in a meeting and to see, hear, and
6 otherwise communicate with each other.
7 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
8signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
9by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
10vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
11effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 224 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Gregory Miller
Abstract: Provides for meetings of the La. State Law Institute Council, committees, and
subcommittees.
Present law provides that all meetings of the La. State Law Institute (LSLI) Council,
committees, and subcommittees shall be held at a meeting space located in a public building
and open to the public for the purposes of the meeting.
Proposed law retains present law as it relates to LSLI Council meetings.
Present law provides that at least a majority of the LSLI Council, committee, and
subcommittee meetings held each year shall be in Baton Rouge.
Proposed law instead provides that half of the Council meetings shall be in Baton Rouge and
eliminates the requirement that committee and subcommittee meetings be held in Baton
Rouge.
Proposed law authorizes LSLI committees and subcommittees to conduct periodic meetings
via electronic means provided LSLI does the following:
(1)Provides the notice and agenda for the meeting 24 hours prior thereto on the LSLI
website and by email to those requesting notice.
(2)Provides a mechanism to receive public comment electronically both prior to and
during the meeting.
(3)Properly identifies and acknowledges all public comments during the meeting and
maintains those comments in its record of the meeting.
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HB NO. 224
(4)Ensures that each person participating in the meeting is properly identified and that
all parts of the meeting, excluding any matter discussed in executive session, are
clear and audible to all participants in the meeting, including the public.
Proposed law further provides that a committee or subcommittee shall not conduct
successive meetings via electronic means.
Proposed law does not limit the conduct of meetings via electronic means during a
gubernatorially proclaimed or declared disaster or emergency.
Proposed law authorizes the LSLI to adopt rules, regulations, and procedures to allow the
public to participate in a meeting via electronic means.
Proposed law defines "meeting via electronic means", "teleconference", and "video
conference".
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 24:202(F)(1) and (G))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Add effective date provision.
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