« Ind. Courts - More news on judgeships | Main | Ind. Decisions - Court reinforces right to resist excessive force »

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Ind. Gov't. - Serial meeting bill in danger again

As last reported in this Feb. 2nd ILB entry, Senator Bev Gard's bill last year to ban serial meetings received much editorial praise. But it failed.

This year's effort, SB 89, has passed the Senate, 48-2, but has not yet been heard in House committee. (Last year's effort, SB 310, passed the Senate 49-0, and died in the House Local Government Committee.)

The Indiana Coalition for Open Gvernment has sent out this "Indiana Legislative Alert":

Indiana Legislative Alert
Re: SB 89 (serial meeting abuses by government boards)
From: Indiana Coalition for Open Government

Contact Indiana Rep. Jim Buck Today to Stop Serial Meeting Abuses

A major reform bill on public meetings is headed to the dead file in the Indiana Legislature unless YOU act this week.

Rep. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, is refusing to hear Senate Bill 89 in his committee (as of this writing). The bill, which passed the Senate 48-2, is now languishing under pressure from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.

On Friday, the IACT sent out its weekly legislative summary (14 pages with SB 89 featured second on its hit list) and declared that SB 89 “would impose unreasonable restrictions on meetings of municipal councils.” In reality, the bill prohibits governing bodies of public agencies from conducting business through the use of series of meetings, which cleverly closes the door to public debate, as it never allows a quorum to be present.

Dubbed the coffee shop clause in newsrooms around the state, the tactic clearly tramples the intent of the law “that the official action of public agencies be conducted and taken openly … in order that people may be fully informed.”

This abuse by public officials was highlighted several years ago when the IU Board of Trustees relied on serial and secret meetings to fire former Coach Bob Knight. Lawsuits followed at taxpayer expense, but the law remains muddy on this point.

Sen. Bev Gard, R-Greenfield, is in her second year of trying to thwart these types of abuses by government officials.

What can YOU do? Contact Jim Buck as soon as possible and tell him why Gard’s bill is needed. If you don’t want your local elected officials meeting secretly to conduct the public’s business in private over coffee, then contact Buck today.

Rep. Buck’s Statehouse contacts are:
H38@in.gov
317-232-9775 (office/legislative assistant)
House of Representatives toll-free number 800-382-9841

The last opportunity for a committee meeting on this bill is 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee, chaired by Buck. If he fails to call the bill for a vote, it is likely dead (again) for this session.

Also, please copy Sen. Gard on any e-mails you send to Rep. Buck to show continuing support of her efforts. (S28@in.gov)

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 18, 2006 12:20 PM
Posted to Indiana Government