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Hemet council tightens public‑comment rules; some residents call changes censorship
Summary
The Hemet City Council voted 5–0 to amend its decorum rules to let the mayor shorten individual remarks when many people sign up and to set total time limits for public comment; speakers raised free‑speech concerns.
The Hemet City Council on April 14 adopted amendments to its rules of decorum that allow the presiding officer to reduce individual public‑comment times when large numbers of speakers are present and to set a total time limit for comment on a single agenda item.
City Attorney staff framed the change as a lawful, content‑neutral way to balance public input with the council’s duty to conduct city business. "Under the Brown Act, the public absolutely has a right to comment on…
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