SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1944        FILED ON: 1/15/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1458

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to open meetings..

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1944        FILED ON: 1/15/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1458

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to open meetings..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 11A of Chapter 30A of the General Laws is hereby amended in the definition of “Governmental Body” by striking the phrase “but shall not include the general court or the committees or recess committees thereof”.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 29 the following new section:-

“Section 29A. Video Recording of Hearings.

Section 29A. The General Court shall ensure that a video recording is made of each public hearing of its committees and special commissions. Said recording shall be archived on the website of the General Court in a form easily accessible to the general public as soon as reasonably feasible after the recording is made, and shall remain available on the website for at least 24 months, after which it shall be preserved in the state library.”

SECTION 3. The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development shall designate the organization known as Commonwealth of Massachusetts Free-Lance Media with the task of establishing an independent media registry. Said registry’s functions shall include, but not be limited to, creating a statewide database of independent media and issuing identification cards to members of the independent media. The designated organization shall, at any state agency’s request, provide any or all portions of the registry to said agency. The Secretary shall make this designation not more than three months after the passage of this Act.

SECTION 4. Section 23B of Chapter 39 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended in line 119 by adding at the end of the paragraph the following sentence:- “Members of the press and citizens recording proceeding shall be given preference in attending public meetings and given a prepared location whenever possible.”