BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.59
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S.59
IntroducedbySenatorHardy
ReferredtoCommitteeonGovernmentOperations
Date:February11,2025
Subject:Generalprovisions;commonlaw;generalrights;publicinformation;
OpenMeetingLaw
Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestoamend
Vermont’sOpenMeetingLawtostatethatannualmunicipalmeetingsand
representativetownmeetingsarenot“publicbodies”thataresubjecttothe
OpenMeetingLaw.Thisbillalsoproposestoprovidethatapublicbodymay
movetoenterexecutivesessiontodiscusstheinterestratesofpublicly
financedloans.
AnactrelatingtoamendmentstoVermont’sOpenMeetingLaw
ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
Sec.1.1V.S.A.§ 310isamendedtoread:
§310.DEFINITIONS
Asusedinthissubchapter:
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(6)“Publicbody”meansanyboard,council,orcommissionoftheState
oroneormoreofitspoliticalsubdivisions,anyboard,council,orcommission
ofanyagency,authority,orinstrumentalityoftheStateoroneormoreofits
politicalsubdivisions,oranycommitteeorsubcommitteeofanyofthe
foregoingboards,councils,orcommissions,exceptthat“publicbody”does
notinclude:
(A)councilsorsimilargroupsestablishedbytheGovernorforthe
solepurposeofadvisingtheGovernorwithrespecttopolicy;or
(B)annualmunicipalorrepresentativetownmeetings.
***
(9)“Unduehardship”meansanactionrequiredtoachievecompliance
wouldrequirerequiringsignificantdifficultyorexpensetotheunitof
governmenttowhichapublicbodybelongs,consideredinlightoffactors
includingtheoverallsizeoftheentity,sufficienttheavailabilityofnecessary
personnelandstaffingavailabilitystaff,theentity’sbudgetavailableresources,
andthecostsassociatedwithcompliance.
Sec.2.1V.S.A.§ 312isamendedtoread:
§312.RIGHTTOATTENDMEETINGSOFPUBLICAGENCIES
(a)(1)Allmeetingsofapublicbodyaredeclaredtobeopentothepublicat
alltimes,exceptasprovidedinsection313ofthistitle.Noresolution,rule,
regulation,appointment,orformalactionshallbeconsideredbindingexceptas
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takenormadeatsuchopenmeeting,exceptasprovidedundersubdivision
313(a)(2)ofthistitle.Ameetingofapublicbodyissubjecttothepublic
accommodationrequirementsof9V.S.A.chapter139.Apublicbodyshall
electronicallyrecordallpublichearingsheldtoprovideaforumforpublic
commentonaproposedrule,pursuantto3V.S.A.§840.Thepublicshall
haveaccesstocopiesofsuchelectronicrecordingsasdescribedinsection316
ofthistitle.
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(3)Statenonadvisorypublicbodies;hybridmeetingrequirement;
exceptionforadvisorybodies.AnypublicbodyoftheState,exceptadvisory
bodies,shall:
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(5)Statenonadvisorypublicbodies;Stateandlocaladvisorybodies;
designatingelectronicplatforms.StatenonadvisoryApublicbodiesbody
meetinginahybridfashionpursuanttosubdivision(3)ofthissubsectionand
Stateandlocaladvisorybodiesmeetingwithoutaphysicalmeetinglocationor
advisorybodymeetingpursuanttosubdivision(4)ofthissubsectionshall
designateanduseanelectronicplatformthatallowsthedirectaccess,
attendance,andparticipationofthepublic,includingaccessbytelephone.The
publicbodyshallpostinformationthatenablesthepublictodirectlyaccessthe
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designatedelectronicplatformandincludethisinformationinthepublished
agendaorpublicnoticeforthemeeting.
(6)Localnonadvisorypublicbodies;meetingrecordings.
(A)Apublicbodyofamunicipalityorpoliticalsubdivision,except
advisorybodies,shallrecord,inaudioorvideoform,anymeetingofthe
publicbodyandpostacopyoftherecordinginadesignatedelectronic
locationforaminimumof30daysfollowingtheapprovalandpostingofthe
officialminutesforameeting.
(B)Amunicipalityisexemptfromsubdivision(A)ofthis
subdivision(6)ifcompliancewouldimposeanunduehardshiponthe
municipality.
(C)Amunicipalityshallhavetheburdenofprovingthatcompliance
underthissectionwouldimposeanunduehardshiponthemunicipality.
***
Sec.3.1V.S.A.§ 313isamendedtoread:
§313.EXECUTIVESESSIONS
(a)Nopublicbodymayholdanexecutivesessionfromwhichthepublicis
excluded,exceptbytheaffirmativevoteoftwo-thirdsofitsmemberspresent
inthecaseofanypublicbodyofStategovernmentorofamajorityofits
memberspresentinthecaseofanypublicbodyofamunicipalityorother
politicalsubdivision.Amotiontogointoexecutivesessionshallindicatethe
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natureofthebusinessoftheexecutivesession,andnoothermattermaybe
consideredintheexecutivesession.Suchvoteshallbetakeninthecourseof
anopenmeetingandtheresultofthevoterecordedintheminutes.Noformal
orbindingactionshallbetakeninexecutivesessionexceptforactionsrelating
tothesecuringofrealestateoptionsundersubdivision(2)ofthissubsection.
Minutesofanexecutivesessionneednotbetaken,butiftheyare,theminutes
shall,notwithstandingsubsection312(b)ofthistitle,beexemptfrompublic
copyingandinspectionunderthePublicRecordsAct.Apublicbodymaynot
holdanexecutivesessionexcepttoconsideroneormoreofthefollowing:
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(10)securityoremergencyresponsemeasures,thedisclosureofwhich
couldjeopardizepublicsafety;or
(11)informationrelatingtotheinterestratesforpubliclyfinancedloans.
***
Sec.4.EFFECTIVEDATE
ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
Sec.1.1V.S.A.§ 310isamendedtoread:
§310.DEFINITIONS
Asusedinthissubchapter:
***
(9)“Unduehardship”meansanactionrequiredtoachievecompliance
wouldrequirerequiringsignificantdifficultyorexpensetotheunitof
governmenttowhichapublicbodybelongs,consideredinlightoffactors
includingtheoverallsizeoftheentity,sufficienttheavailabilityofnecessary
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personnelandstaffingavailabilitystaff,theentity’sbudgetavailable
resources,andthecostsassociatedwithcompliance.
Sec.2.1V.S.A.§ 312isamendedtoread:
§312.RIGHTTOATTENDMEETINGSOFPUBLICAGENCIES
(a)(1)Allmeetingsofapublicbodyaredeclaredtobeopentothepublic
atalltimes,exceptasprovidedinsection313ofthistitle.Noresolution,rule,
regulation,appointment,orformalactionshallbeconsideredbindingexcept
astakenormadeatsuchopenmeeting,exceptasprovidedundersubdivision
313(a)(2)ofthistitle.Ameetingofapublicbodyissubjecttothepublic
accommodationrequirementsof9V.S.A.chapter139.Apublicbodyshall
electronicallyrecordallpublichearingsheldtoprovideaforumforpublic
commentonaproposedrule,pursuantto3V.S.A.§840.Thepublicshall
haveaccesstocopiesofsuchelectronicrecordingsasdescribedinsection316
ofthistitle.
***
(3)(A)Statenonadvisorypublicbodies;hybridmeetingrequirement;
exceptionforadvisorybodies.AnypublicbodyoftheState,exceptadvisory
bodies,shall:
(A)(i)holdallregularandspecialmeetingsinahybridfashion,
whichshallincludebothadesignatedphysicalmeetinglocationanda
designatedelectronicmeetingplatform;
(B)(ii)electronicallyrecordallmeetings;and
(C)(iii)foraminimumof30daysfollowingtheapprovalandposting
oftheofficialminutesforameeting,retaintheaudiovisualrecordingandpost
therecordinginadesignatedelectroniclocation.
(B)Exception;siteinspectionsandfieldvisits.Thissubdivision(3)
shallnotapplytogatheringsofapublicbodyforpurposesofasiteinspection
orfieldvisit.
***
(5)Statenonadvisorypublicbodies;Stateandlocaladvisorybodies;
designatingelectronicplatforms.StatenonadvisoryApublicbodiesbody
meetinginahybridfashionpursuanttosubdivision(3)ofthissubsectionand
Stateandlocaladvisorybodiesmeetingwithoutaphysicalmeetinglocationor
advisorybodymeetingpursuanttosubdivision(4)ofthissubsectionshall
designateanduseanelectronicplatformthatallowsthedirectaccess,
attendance,andparticipationofthepublic,includingaccessbytelephone.
Thepublicbodyshallpostinformationthatenablesthepublictodirectly BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.59
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accessthedesignatedelectronicplatformandincludethisinformationinthe
publishedagendaorpublicnoticeforthemeeting.
(6)Localnonadvisorypublicbodies;meetingrecordings.
(A)Apublicbodyofamunicipalityorpoliticalsubdivision,except
advisorybodies,shallrecord,inaudioorvideoform,anymeetingofthepublic
bodyandpostacopyoftherecordinginadesignatedelectroniclocationfora
minimumof30daysfollowingtheapprovalandpostingoftheofficialminutes
forameeting.
(B)Amunicipalityisexemptfromsubdivision(A)ofthissubdivision
(6)ifcompliancewouldimposeanunduehardshiponthemunicipality.
(C)Amunicipalityshallhavetheburdenofprovingthatcompliance
underthissectionwouldimposeanunduehardshiponthemunicipality.
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(d)(1)Atleast48hourspriortoaregularmeeting,andatleast24hours
priortoaspecialmeeting,ameetingagendashallbe:
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(3)Ameetingagendashallcontainsufficientdetailsconcerningthe
specificmatterstobediscussedbythepublicbody.Foranymeetingthatmay
includeanexecutivesession,themeetingagendashallstatethatthemeeting
includesa“proposedexecutivesession.”Wheneverapublicbodyincludesan
executivesessionasanitemonapostedmeetingagenda,thepublicbodyshall
listtheagendaitemas“proposedexecutivesession.”
(4)(A)Anyadditiontoordeletionfromtheagendashallbemadeasthe
firstactofbusinessatthemeeting.
***
Sec.3.1V.S.A.§ 313isamendedtoread:
§313.EXECUTIVESESSIONS
(a)Nopublicbodymayholdorconcludeanexecutivesessionfromwhich
thepublicisexcluded,exceptbytheaffirmativevoteoftwo-thirdsofits
memberspresentinthecaseofanypublicbodyofStategovernmentorofa
majorityofitsmemberspresentinthecaseofanypublicbodyofa
municipalityorotherpoliticalsubdivision.Amotiontogointoexecutive
sessionshallindicatethenatureofthebusinessoftheexecutivesession,and
noothermattermaybeconsideredintheexecutivesession.SuchThevoteto
enterexecutivesessionshallbetakeninthecourseofanopenmeetingandthe
resultofthevoterecordedintheminutes.Noformalorbindingactionshallbe BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.59
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takeninexecutivesessionexceptforactionsrelatingtothesecuringofreal
estateoptionsundersubdivision(2)ofthissubsection.Minutesofanexecutive
sessionneednotbetaken,butiftheyare,theminutesshall,notwithstanding
subsection312(b)ofthistitle,beexemptfrompubliccopyingandinspection
underthePublicRecordsAct.Apublicbodymaynotholdanexecutive
sessionexcepttoconsideroneormoreofthefollowing:
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(10)securityoremergencyresponsemeasures,thedisclosureofwhich
couldjeopardizepublicsafety;or
(11)informationrelatingtotheinterestratesforpubliclyfinanced
loans.
***
Sec.4.EFFECTIVEDATE
Thisactshalltakeeffectonpassage.