EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1064*
HOUSE BILL 1064
L5, L2 5lr0974
By: Montgomery County Delegation and Prince George’s County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Montgomery County Planning Board and Washington Suburban Sanitary 2
Commission – Open Meetings – Live Streaming Requirement 3
MC/PG 101–25 4
FOR the purpose of altering the requirement that the Montgomery County Planning Board 5
and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, respectively, stream live video 6
or audio of their open meetings to apply only to meetings held at certain locations; 7
and generally relating to open meetings of the Montgomery County Planning Board 8
and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Land Use 11
Section 20–202(e) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2012 Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Public Utilities 16
Section 17–106(e) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Land Use 22
20–202. 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1064
(e) (1) This subsection applies only to the Montgomery County Planning 1
Board. 2
(2) The Board shall: 3
(i) stream live video or live teleconference audio or other audio of 4
the open meetings of the Board ONLY IF THE MEETING IS HELD AT: 5
1. THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE BOARD; OR 6
2. A LOCATION WHERE THE BOARD HELD AT LEAST 10 7
MEETINGS DURING THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G CALENDAR YEAR ; 8
(ii) maintain on its website a complete and unedited archived 9
recording of each open meeting that is livestreamed in accordance with this subsection; and 10
(iii) notwithstanding § 3–306(b)(2)(i) of the General Provisions 11
Article: 12
1. prepare minutes of each meeting as soon as practicable 13
after the meeting; and 14
2. publish and maintain on its website the minutes of each 15
open meeting prepared in accordance with this subsection. 16
(3) The inability of the Board to comply with paragraph (2)(i) and (ii) of this 17
subsection due to technical failure that entirely prevents or otherwise affects the quality of 18
the live video or audio streaming of a meeting of the Board does not affect the validity of 19
any action taken by the Board during the meeting if: 20
(i) the Board otherwise complies with this subsection and the Open 21
Meetings Act; and 22
(ii) the inability to comply is not due to willful action by the Board. 23
(4) In addition to complying with the minutes requirements of the Open 24
Meetings Act under § 3–306 of the General Provisions Article, if the Board is unable to 25
comply with paragraph (2)(i) of this subsection, the Board shall make good–faith efforts to 26
record an open meeting by video or audio and maintain on its website a complete and 27
unedited archived recording of the meeting. 28
Article – Public Utilities 29
17–106. 30
(e) (1) The Commission shall: 31 HOUSE BILL 1064 3
(i) stream live video or live teleconference audio or other audio of 1
the open meetings of the Commission ONLY IF THE MEETING IS HELD AT: 2
1. THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMISSION; OR 3
2. A LOCATION WHERE THE COMMISSION HELD AT 4
LEAST 10 MEETINGS DURING THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G CALENDAR YEAR ; and 5
(ii) maintain on its website a complete and unedited archived 6
recording of each open meeting that is livestreamed in accordance with this subsection. 7
(2) The inability of the Commission to comply with paragraph (1) of this 8
subsection due to technical failure that entirely prevents or otherwise affects the quality of 9
the live video or audio streaming of a meeting of the Commission does not affect the validity 10
of any action taken by the Commission during the meeting if: 11
(i) the Commission otherwise complies with this section and the 12
Open Meetings Act; and 13
(ii) the inability to comply is not due to willful action by the 14
Commission. 15
(3) In addition to complying with the minutes requirements of the Open 16
Meetings Act under § 3–306 of the General Provisions Article, if the Commission is unable 17
to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1)(i) of this subsection, the Commission 18
shall make good faith efforts to record an open session by video or audio and maintain on 19
its website a complete and unedited archived recording of the meeting. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2025. 22