Georgia General Assembly · Full text

SB 353: Open and Public Meetings; county or joint boards of election or boards of election and registration to conduct meetings via teleconference; authorize

Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action March 25, 2025 · Introduced

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Senate Bill 353

By: Senators Harrell of the 40th, Jackson of the 41st and Parent of the 44th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

To amend Code Section 50-14-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to meetings open to the public, limitation on action to contest agency action, recording, notice of time and place, access to minutes, and teleconferences, so as to authorize county or joint boards of election or boards of election and registration to conduct meetings via teleconference; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Code Section 50-14-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to meetings open to the public, limitation on action to contest agency action, recording, notice of time and place, access to minutes, and teleconferences, is amended by revising subsection (h) as follows:

"(h)(1) The following bodies and committees thereof shall be authorized to conduct meetings by teleconference, provided that any such meeting shall be considered to be conducted in compliance with this chapter so long as the notice required by this chapter is provided and, if fewer than a quorum of the members of a body or committee thereof are physically present, means have been afforded for the public to have simultaneous access to the teleconference meeting:

(A) Development authorities created pursuant to or authorized by the provisions of Chapter 42 or Chapter 62 of Title 36, by or pursuant to Article IX, Section VI, Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution, or by or pursuant to any amendment to the Constitution continued pursuant to the authority of Article XI, Section I, Paragraph IV of the Constitution;

(B) Community improvement districts created pursuant to the provisions of Article IX, Section VII of the Georgia Constitution;

(D) The board of trustees or other governing body of any large retirement system as such term is defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 47-20-84; and

(E) County or joint boards of election or boards of election and registration established pursuant to Code Section 21-2-40 or 21-2-40.1.

(2) The participation by teleconference of members of such bodies or committees thereof means full participation in the same manner as if such members were physically present. In the event such teleconference meeting is a public hearing, and if fewer than a quorum of the members of a body or committee thereof are physically present, then members of the public shall be afforded the means to participate fully in the same manner as if such members of the public were physically present."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.