Brief Description: Allowing fax and electronic mail notice of special meetings.

Sponsors: Representatives Clibborn, Nixon, Wallace, Edwards, Hunter, Lovick, Moeller, Upthegrove, Kagi and Hudgins.

Hearing Date: 2/3/04

Staff: Matt Kuehn (786-7291).

Background:

The Open Public Meetings Act mandates that all actions and deliberations of all public agencies (public committees, subcommittees, boards, councils, departments, and divisions) occur openly. With the exception of specific executive sessions, meetings of the governing bodies of public agencies must be left open to the public.

Public agencies may have either regular, scheduled meetings or special meetings. Regular meetings recur according to a pre-set schedule set by rule or law. Special meetings are all meetings that are not part of the regular, pre-set schedule.

Special meetings may be convened at any time which the presiding officer or a majority of the board chooses. To have a special meeting a public agency is required to give some notice to all members of the public agency as well as notify those local media outlets who have made a written requests to be notified of the convening of special meetings.

The notice of the special meeting to the members of the committee and the media must be made twenty-four hours before the time of the meeting. It must be delivered personally or by mail.

Notice may be waived by members in writing. The notice may be waived by telegram.

Summary of Bill:

The bill expands the styles of notice that are acceptable for special meetings. In addition to personal or mailed written notice, special meetings may be convened by fax or electronic mail.

Waiver of notice by members must still be in writing. The waiver may be made by telegram, fax or electronic mail.

Notice must still be made to members and media within the same time frame.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.