Open Meeting Act: Gov. Stitt signs first bill of 2021 legislative session into law
The Shawnee News-Star
Governor Kevin Stitt on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 1031 into law, his first bill of the 2021 legislative session, reinstating temporary modifications to the Open Meeting Act allowing for virtual public meetings.
“I want to thank Pro Tem Treat, Speaker McCall and the Legislature for getting this across the finish line to my desk,” said Gov. Stitt. “We’ve all heard from constituents, state agencies, local school boards and other public bodies requesting this, and I’m pleased we were able to deliver so quickly.”
SB 1031, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City) and House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols (R-Oklahoma City), reinstates the same exemptions to the Open Meeting Act that were signed into law in 2020 with some minor changes, including requiring public bodies to post documents or materials online that are provided to participants of
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 1031 on Wednesday, extending temporary modifications to the Open Meeting Act and allowing for virtual public meetings during
Hamilton: Good news and bad as legislative session opens By: Arnold Hamilton Guest Columnist February 4, 2021
Arnold Hamilton
Good news: State lawmakers are moving quickly to extend authorization for government bodies across Oklahoma to meet virtually during the pandemic, provided the public can view meetings and participate.
Bad news: Public policy sausage-making can be hard to watch, not because it’s boring or unimportant, but because it’s often maddening to see which issues elected leaders prioritize for discussion.
The Legislature’s first week illustrates the point.
Swift approval of Senate Bill 1031, temporarily modifying the Open Meeting Act to permit public bodies to meet in virtual sessions, showed online viewers how government is supposed to work.
Athletic push, good spirits, mental health days: News from around our 50 states
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February 1, 2021, 12:21 AM·49 min read
Alabama
People get COVID-19 vaccines during a drive-in clinic in the old Montgomery Mall parking lot in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday.
Montgomery: The state will roughly double the number of people eligible to receive immunizations against COVID-19 this month even though there’s still not enough vaccine for everyone who qualifies for a shot, the head of the state health agency said Friday. Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer, said everyone 65 and older, educators, court officials, corrections officers, postal employees, grocery store workers, some manufacturing workers, public transit workers, agriculture employees, state legislators and constitutional officers will be eligible to get vaccinations when the program expands Feb. 8. Currently, only people 75 and older, first responders, health care workers and long-term care residents ar