Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Oklahoma County proposal to tighten public-participation rules draws sharp public opposition; approval fails
Summary
A proposed revision to Oklahoma County's public participation policy, modeled on Oklahoma City guidelines and restricting certain types of public comment, drew sustained public criticism and failed for lack of a second on a motion to adopt it.
Oklahoma County commissioners considered a proposed revision to the county's public participation policy that would restrict some public comments and bar declared county commissioner candidates from speaking during public comment. Supporters said the changes mirrored Oklahoma City's guidelines and were intended to keep meetings orderly; critics said the proposal would chill free speech and punish victims who speak about personal harms.
The proposal was introduced to expand existing rules governing public input at Board of County Commissioners meetings. The draft includes language that "public participation or public comment will not be used to air personal grievances" and a clause stating that "no declared candidate for…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
