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 216 Engrossed 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 applies to public meetings of the Board of Ethics and the Supervisory Committee on
Campaign Finance Disclosure, except to investigations and private hearings conducted by the Board
of Ethics (R.S. 42:1141.4). 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 and 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. 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. Further
provides that the failure to broadcast live due to a technological failure beyond the control of the
Board of Ethics or beyond its ability to resolve timely is not a violation of present law or proposed
law.
Proposed law does not apply to any executive session or any investigation or private hearing of the
Board of Ethics or Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure.
Proposed law requires the Board of Ethics to establish standards for the use of lighting, recording,
or broadcasting equipment to ensure proper decorum in a public meeting.
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.
Effective January 1, 2026.
(Adds R.S. 42:1136) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and Governmental
Affairs to the original bill:
1. Provide an effective date.