Req. No. 2713 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024) SENATE BILL 1736 By: Weaver AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act; amending 25 O.S. 2021, Section 304, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 123 , O.S.L. 2022 (25 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 304), which r elates to definitions; modifying definition; and declaring an emergency . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 25 O.S. 2021, Section 304, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 123, O.S.L. 2022 (25 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 304), is amended to read as follows: Section 304. As used in the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act: 1. “Public body” means the governing bodies of all municipalities located within t his state, boards of county commissioners of the counties in this state, boards of public and higher education in this state and all boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, trusteeships, auth orities, councils, committees, public trusts or any entity create d by a public trust including any committee or subcommittee composed of any of the members of a public trust or other legal entity receiving funds from the Rural Economic Req. No. 2713 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Action Plan Fund as authorized by Section 2007 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma Statutes, task forces or study groups in this state supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with the expending of public funds, or administering public property, and shall include all committees or subcommittees of any public body. Public body shall not include: a. the state judiciary, b. the Council on Judicial Complaints when conducting, discussing, or deliberating any mat ter relating to a complaint received or filed with the Coun cil, c. the Legislature, or d. administrative staffs of public bod ies including, but not limited to, faculty meetings and athletic staff meetings of institutions of higher education when those staffs are not meeting with the public body, or entry-year assistance committees. Furthermore, public body shall not include the , e. multidisciplinary teams provi ded for in Section 1 -9- 102 of Title 10A of th e Oklahoma Statutes, in Section 2 10-115 of this act Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes, and in subsection C of Section 1-502.2 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes or any schoo l board meeting for the sole purpo se of considering recommendations of a multidisciplinary team and Req. No. 2713 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 deciding the placement of any child who is the subject of the recommendations . Furthermore, public body shall not include, f. meetings conducted by steward s designated by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission pursuant to Section 203.4 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Stat utes when the stewards are officiating at races or otherwise enforcing rules of the Commission. Furthermore, public body shall not include , g. the board of directors of a Fede rally Qualified Health Center, or h. the State Council for Interstate Juvenile Supervision established pursuant to Section 2-9-116 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes ; 2. “Meeting” means the conduct of business of a public body by a majority of its members being personally together or, as authorized by Section 307.1 of this title, together pursuant to a videoconference. Meeting shall not include informal gatherings of a majority of the members of the public body when no bu siness of the public body is discu ssed; 3. “Regularly scheduled meeting” means a meeting at which the regular business of the public body is conducted; 4. “Special meeting” means any meeting of a public body other than a regularly scheduled meeting or em ergency meeting; Req. No. 2713 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5. “Emergency meeting” means any meeting called for the purpo se of dealing with an emergency. For purposes of the Oklah oma Open Meeting Act, an emerge ncy is defined as a situatio n involving injury to persons or injury and damage to publi c or personal property or immediate financial loss when the time requirements for pub lic notice of a special meeting would make such proce dure impractical and increase the likelihood of injury or d amage or immediate financial loss; 6. “Continued or reconvened meeting” means a meeting whic h is assembled for the purpose of finishing b usiness appearing on an agenda of a previous meeting. For the purposes of the Oklahoma Op en Meeting Act, only matters on the agenda of the previous m eeting at which the announcement of the continuance is made m ay be discussed at a continued or reconvened meetin g; 7. “Videoconference” means a conference among mem bers of a public body remote fr om one another who are linke d by interactive telecommunication devices or technology and/or technology permitting both visual and auditory communication between and a mong members of the public body and/or between and among me mbers of the public body and members of the public. During any videoconference, both the visual and auditory commun ications functions shall attempt to be utilized; and 8. “Teleconference” means a conference among members of a public body remote from one another who are linked by Req. No. 2713 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 telecommunication devices and/or technology permitting auditory communication between and among members of the public body and /or between and among members of the public b ody and members of the public. SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 59-2-2713 TEK 1/17/2024 10:09:08 AM