Bill would change Sunshine Committee meeting requirement to four meetings a year to allow scheduling flexibility

Senate Bill 5,049 would alter the statutory language governing how often the Public Records Exemption Accountability Committee, commonly called the Sunshine Committee, must meet. Committee staff said the bill changes the requirement from meeting "at least once per quarter" to holding "at least four meetings annually," a change supporters described as clarifying scheduling flexibility for legislators appointed to the committee.

Connor Schiff, staff to the committee, introduced the measure and explained the committee's role: the Sunshine Committee "periodically reviews exemptions from public disclosure under the Public Records Act and other statutes and provides recommendations as to whether specific exemptions should be continued, modified, scheduled for sunset review, or terminated." He said the committee holds public meetings and considers public input.

Sen. Jeff Wilson, 19th Legislative District, described the bill as "very, very simplistic" and said it would give appointed legislators more flexibility in scheduling so they can attend meetings. Roland Thompson, vice chair of the Sunshine Committee, said the change would allow the committee to hold meetings after the Legislature has adjourned; he described a February meeting this year where no legislators attended and the committee lacked a quorum.

No public testimony raising opposition was recorded in the hearing segment of the transcript, and the committee closed the hearing after the sponsor and vice chair spoke. No vote was recorded in the transcript.

Clarifying details included that the Sunshine Committee is required to provide an annual report on recommendations, and that the change is intended to avoid inadvertent quorum problems during legislative schedules by using wording that focuses on a four-meeting minimum rather than a quarterly meeting prescription.