HLS 25RS-139 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 21
BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
ETHICS/BOARD: Provides for the broadcast and recordation of meetings of the Board of
Ethics
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 42:23, relative to the live broadcast and recordation of public
3 meetings; to provide for meetings of the Board of Ethics and Supervisory Committee
4 on Campaign Finance Disclosure; to require the live broadcast of such meetings; to
5 require a recorded archive of such meetings; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 42:23 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง23. Audio and video recordings; live broadcast
9 A. All of the proceedings in a public meeting may be video or tape recorded,
10 filmed, or broadcast live.
11 B.(1) Each nonelected board or commission that has the authority to levy a
12 tax shall video or audio record, film, or broadcast live all proceedings in a public
13 meeting.
14 (2)(a)(i) The parish governing authority in a parish with a population of
15 twenty-five thousand or more shall broadcast live all of its proceedings in public
16 meetings, including the parish governing authority's committee meetings.
17 (ii)(b) Each school board in a parish with a population of twenty-five
18 thousand or more shall broadcast live all of its proceedings in public meetings,
19 including the school board's committee meetings.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-139 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 21
1 (iii)(c) Each governing authority of a municipality with a population of ten
2 thousand or more shall broadcast live all city council meetings including city council
3 committee meetings. There is no requirement to broadcast a committee meeting
4 where members are volunteers.
5 (3) The Board of Ethics and the Supervisory Committee on Campaign
6 Finance Disclosure shall broadcast live all of its proceedings in public meetings.
7 Each meeting shall be recorded and made available to the public in an online archive
8 located on the Board of Ethics website for at least two years.
9 (b) For purposes of this Paragraph, "broadcast live" means the publicly
10 available distribution of audio and video of a meeting in real or near real time via the
11 internet or television broadcast.
12 (c) C.(1) The failure of a public body to broadcast live as required by this
13 Paragraph Subsection B of this Section due to a technological failure beyond the
14 control of the public body or beyond its ability to resolve timely is not a violation of
15 the provisions of this Chapter.
16 (d) (2) The requirement in this Paragraph Subsection B of this Section for
17 a public body to broadcast its meetings does not apply to any executive session held
18 in accordance with this Chapter.
19 C. D. A public body shall establish standards for the use of lighting,
20 recording, or broadcasting equipment to ensure proper decorum in a public meeting.
21 E. For purposes of this Section, "broadcast live" means the publicly available
22 distribution of audio and video of a meeting in real or near real time via the internet
23 or television broadcast.
24 Section 2. For purposes of implementing the provisions of this Act, the Board of
25Ethics and Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure shall only utilize a
26meeting space currently owned or leased by the state and equipped with broadcasting
27capabilities. Each officer, board, commission, council, department, or agency of state
28government and each political subdivision of the state shall cooperate in providing a suitable
29location and equipment for meetings of the Board of Ethics and Supervisory Committee on
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-139 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 21
1Campaign Finance Disclosure as necessary to allow the Board of Ethics and Supervisory
2Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure to comply with the provisions of this Act.
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 21 Original 2025 Regular Session Jackson
Abstract: Requires meetings of the Board of Ethics and Supervisory Committee on
Campaign Finance Disclosure to broadcast live all proceedings in public meetings
and requires that meetings be recorded and archived for at least two years.
Present law (Open Meetings Law) authorizes all of the proceedings in a public meeting to
be video or tape recorded, filmed, or broadcast live. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law defines "broadcast live" as the publicly available distribution of audio and video
of a meeting in real or near real time via the internet or television broadcast. Proposed
law retains present law.
Proposed law requires the Board of Ethics and the Supervisory Committee on Campaign
Finance Disclosure to broadcast live all of its proceedings in public meetings. Proposed law
requires that all meetings be recorded and made available to the public in an online archive
located on the Board of Ethics website for at least two years.
Present law (R.S. 42:1141.4) provides that the Open Meetings Law does not apply to
investigations and private hearings conducted by the Board of Ethics. Proposed law retains
present law.
Proposed law requires the Board of Ethics and Supervisory Committee on Campaign
Finance Disclosure to utilize a meeting space currently owned or leased by the state and
equipped with broadcasting capabilities. Requires each officer, board, commission, council,
department, or agency of state government and each political subdivision of the state to
cooperate in providing a suitable location and equipment for meetings required by proposed
law.
(Amends R.S. 42:23)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.