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Senate adopts amendment allowing two options for county minutes publication amid floor objections
Summary
Senate File 23 41 was amended to allow county boards either to approve minutes at their next meeting or to have the board chair approve minutes prior to publication; several senators opposed statewide imposition for a localized problem, but the Senate adopted the amendment and passed the bill.
Senator Guth, in opening remarks on SF 23 41, described amendment S5089 as a strike-all amendment providing two ways a county board of supervisors may approve minutes for publication: (1) approve at the next meeting or (2) have the board chair approve the minutes prior to the next meeting. "Amendment number 50 89 is a strike all amendment that allows the minutes to be approved by publishing by 1 of 2 ways," Guth said.
Floor debate followed. Senator Weiner urged a no vote, arguing the problem prompting the bill appeared localized and did not warrant a statewide law: "I don't think we should need to pass a law that's going to impact every single county... for a problem that's really localized in 1 county or maybe 2 counties." Senator Buzignano also opposed the bill, warning of delayed public dissemination if minutes required board approval at a subsequent meeting. Senator Dotzler described the bill as insufficiently developed and urged a no vote. Senator Guth responded that three to five counties had complained and that the amendment provided options balancing timeliness and checks on editorializing. Guth moved final reading; the amendment was adopted and the bill passed by recorded vote (transcript records 29 ayes, 17 nays).
