A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS by enacting THE "MEETING TRANSPARENCY ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 2-1-260 SO AS TO REQUIRE MEETINGS OF LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL AS CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 59-17-180 SO AS TO REQUIRE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Meeting Transparency Act."

 

SECTION 2.  Chapter 1, Title 2 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 2-1-260. (A) In addition to any other open meetings requirement, each meeting of a legislative committee must be accessible to the public and also available by means of live electronic access, such as livestream transmission, on the General Assembly's website. The meeting must be made available to view while the actual meeting is occurring and must be archived for subsequent viewing.

    (B)  Within twenty-four hours after the conclusion of a legislative meeting, any committee records from the meeting, such as documents that were circulated during the meeting, approved meeting minutes from the previous meeting, and the preliminary minutes from the current meeting must be made available and archived on the General Assembly's website.  Each meeting minutes must include the results and record of any votes taken of each individual member regardless of whether the vote was only a voice vote.

    (C)  For purposes of this section, legislative committee meetings include, standing committee meetings, subcommittee meetings, ad hoc committee meetings, Judicial Merit Selection Commission, and legislative study committee meetings.

 

SECTION 3.  Chapter 17, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-17-180. In addition to any other open meetings requirement, each meeting of a school district's board of trustees must be accessible to the public and also available by means of live electronic access, such as livestream transmission, on the school district's website.  The meeting must be made available to view while the actual meeting is occurring and must be archived for subsequent viewing.

 

SECTION 4.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----