Bill would require state website to display three days of public-body meetings to improve transparency
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Summary
Assembly Bill 125 would require the Department of Administration’s official state website to show a schedule of public-body meetings at least three working days in advance, expanding the current one-day calendar display; sponsor and municipal officials told the committee it is a technical change to improve access to open-meeting notices.
Assemblymember Tanya Flanagan told the Senate Government Affairs Committee on Friday that Assembly Bill 125 would modify the state’s central meetings website so it displays three calendar days of meetings covered by Nevada’s open meeting law, rather than only the current day.
Flanagan said the current site displays only the day's calendar, which requires users to know in advance which public bodies will meet. "If you don't know the group is meeting, you don't even know to go look for that meeting," she said, arguing a three-day view will allow constituents, organizations and businesses to preview and plan to participate in public meetings.
The bill would complement an earlier requirement established by legislation in 2013 (cited in testimony as AB 445 of the 2013 session) that directed the Department of Administration to maintain a centralized posting location for public-body notices. Supporters including the Nevada Directing Association, cities and trade groups told the committee that showing three days on the public calendar would increase government accountability and accessibility with minimal technical cost.
Senator Neal asked whether the proposal would force local agencies to change meeting times; Flanagan said the change would not alter scheduling decisions by cities and counties but would make the state website's calendar view reflect the three-day notice already required by open-meeting statutes. David Cherry of the City of Henderson and other municipal representatives said they support the bill.
No opposition testimony was recorded. The sponsor said the change is largely technical and cost-neutral because it requires modifying calendar code rather than imposing new posting obligations on local governments.