The Cochise County Board of Supervisors discussed pursuing legislative changes to Arizona's Open Meetings Law (OML) to clarify acceptable informal interactions among elected officials. Supervisors asked county attorneys to join a work session and said they will seek support from legislative allies and the County Supervisors Association before the legislative session.
Why it matters: supervisors said court interpretations and enforcement of the OML have made public officials and other local boards fearful of routine strategy discussions, hampering quick responses to time-sensitive matters. They cited examples where local boards and commissions declined to use tools or communicate because of perceived legal exposure.
Details: supervisors asked county staff and the county attorney's office to convene a work session before regional legislative lobbying events in Yuma and Phoenix. They discussed preparing a package of statutory proposals for submission before December deadlines so bills can be drafted in time for the January legislative session. The board discussed using the legislative summit and meetings with legislators to pursue targeted OML clarifications and described prior instances where they believe the statute has been "weaponized." Staff will draft materials and coordinate with state-level contacts; supervisors suggested bringing the original author of state OML materials as a possible subject-matter expert.
Status and next steps: staff will set a work session including the county attorney to finalize a legislative package and prepare exhibits for the upcoming legislative summit. Supervisors emphasized urgency to have language and exhibits ready before the mid-December drafting window.