ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB 2649: public meetings; recordings; posting; definition

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Grantham (with permission of committee on Rules), LD 12

BILL STATUS: Chaptered

Abstract

Relating to licensing authority meetings.

Provisions

1. Requires licensing authorities to provide digital recordings of all licensing authority meetings, excluding executive sessions. (Sec. 1)

2. Directs a licensing authority to post on its website no later than five days after a meeting and retain for at least three years:

a. The digital recording of the meeting; and

b. All final decisions, orders and actions taken. (Sec. 1)

3. Directs ADOA to conduct a study evaluating the cost associated with providing for complete audiovisual recordings of all meetings of a licensing authority. (Sec. 2)

4. Requires the study to include the following:

a. The cost associated with purchasing equipment and software, posting the audiovisual recordings online and retaining the recordings online for three and five years; and

b. The cost and benefits of maintaining a single centralized website that provides all licensing authority live feeds and stored audiovisual recordings. (Sec. 2)

5. Permits ADOA to consult with any board, agency or industry group necessary to complete the study. (Sec. 2)

6. Requires ADOA to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the SOS by October 1, 2018. (Sec. 2)

7. Repeals the ADOA study requirement on October 1, 2018. (Sec. 2)

8. Provides that the digital recording requirements for licensing authorities become effective on January 1, 2019. (Sec. 3)

9. Defines licensing authority. (Sec. 1, 2)

Current Law

All meetings of a public body must be public meetings. Legal actions by a public body are required to take place at a public meeting and individuals must also be permitted to attend and listen to deliberations and proceedings. Public meetings are required to have minutes or a recording of the proceedings, including executive sessions. The minutes or recording of a meeting must be available for public inspection three working days after the public meeting, unless specified otherwise. For meetings other than executive sessions, the minutes or recording must contain:

1. The date, time and place of the meeting;
2. The members of the public body recorded as either present or absent;
3. A general description of the matters considered;
4. An accurate description of all legal actions proposed, discussed or taken;
5. The names of members who proposed each motion;
6. The names of persons making statements or presenting material; and
7. A reference to the legal action about which each person made a statement or presented material (A.R.S § 38-431.01).

Laws 2017, Chapter 191 requires each health profession regulatory board to make a digital recording of all open meetings, post on their website within five business days after the meeting  and maintain for three years after the date of the recording (A.R.S. § 32-3222).

Licensing authority is defined as any Arizona agency, department, board or commission that issues a license for professions and occupations, excluding the Board of Certified Reporters, for the purposes of operating a business in Arizona to an individual who provides a service to any person (A.R.S. § 32-4701).

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Fifty-third Legislature                  HB 2649

Second Regular Session                               Version 2: Chaptered

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