Signed by Governor John Carney, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes certain task forces, commissions, and groups to hold their meetings virtually.

Highlights:

• Defines ‘advisory body’ as an entity that is impliedly or specifically charged by a public body or public official to provide advice to a public body or public official or make reports or recommendations to a public body or public official (Sec. 4).

• Defines an ‘anchor location’ as means the physical location within the geographic jurisdiction of the public body that is open to the public and at which 1 or more members of a public body attend a virtual meeting (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that an advisory body does not have the authority to make legally binding decisions (Sec. 4).

• Requires public bodies to allow individuals with disabilities to attend public meetings from a remote location virtually as means of providing reasonable accommodations (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that during a state of emergency (Sec. 4):

• Public bodies may hold virtual meetings; and 

• Governors can issue executive orders to allow public bodies to hold virtual meetings only, if this is necessary to prevent a public health emergency

• Requires public bodies to provide notice of the virtual meeting to the public before holding the meeting (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that virtual meetings are just as legally binding as meetings held physically and that virtual meetings must have the same features as a physical meeting unless there is an executive order stating otherwise (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text