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HLS 26RS-901 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 615
BY REPRESENTATIVES MIKE JOHNSON AND KNOX
PUBLIC MEETINGS: Requires certain public meetings to be broadcast live
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 42:19(A)(1)(c) and 23(B), relative to public meetings; to require
3 certain public bodies to broadcast meetings live; to require the notice of the meeting
4 to include certain information; to provide relative to definitions; and to provide for
5 related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 42:19(A)(1)(c) and 23(B) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
8 as follows:
9 §19. Notice of meetings
10 A.(1)
11 * * *
12 (c) Each public body subject to R.S. 42:23(B)(2) 42:23(B) shall include on
13 its written public notice sufficient information to enable the public to locate the
14 broadcast for viewing.
15 * * *
16 §23. Audio and video recordings; live broadcast
17 * * *
18 B.(1)(a) Each nonelected board or commission that has the authority to levy
19 a tax of the following shall video or audio record, film, or broadcast live all
20 proceedings in a public meeting.:
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1 (i) Each nonelected board or commission that has the authority to levy a tax,
2 except a board or commission that represents a district that is contained entirely
3 within a municipality having a population of less than ten thousand persons as of the
4 latest federal decennial census or that is contained entirely within a parish having a
5 population of less than twenty-five thousand persons as of the latest federal decennial
6 census.
7 (ii) Each state board or commission that is authorized to promulgate rules
8 pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
9 (iii) Each state board or commission that is authorized to impose a fine or
10 fee.
11 (b) Each meeting shall be video recorded and made available to the public
12 in an online archive located on the website of the board or commission or on a social
13 media platform for at least two years.
14 (2)(a)(i) The parish governing authority in a parish with a population of
15 twenty-five thousand or more shall broadcast live all of its proceedings in public
16 meetings, including the parish governing authority's committee meetings.
17 (ii) Each school board in a parish with a population of twenty-five thousand
18 or more shall broadcast live all of its proceedings in public meetings, including the
19 school board's committee meetings.
20 (iii) Each governing authority of a municipality with a population of ten
21 thousand or more shall broadcast live all city council meetings including city council
22 committee meetings. There is no requirement to broadcast a committee meeting
23 where members are volunteers.
24 (b) (3) For purposes of this Paragraph Subsection, "broadcast live" means
25 the publicly available distribution of audio and video of a meeting in real or near real
26 time via the internet or television broadcast.
27 (c) (4) The failure of a public body to broadcast live as required by this
28 Paragraph Subsection due to a technological failure beyond the control of the public
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1 body or beyond its ability to resolve timely is not a violation of the provisions of this
2 Chapter.
3 (d) (5) The requirement in this Paragraph Subsection for a public body to
4 broadcast its meetings does not apply to any executive session held in accordance
5 with this Chapter.
6 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 615 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Mike Johnson
Abstract: Requires certain public bodies to broadcast meetings live.
Present law provides that all of the proceedings in a public meeting may be video or tape
recorded, filmed, or broadcast live. Further requires a public body to establish standards for
the use of lighting, recording, or broadcasting equipment to insure proper decorum in a
public meeting. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires nonelected boards or commissions that have the authority to levy a tax
to video or audio record, film, or broadcast live all proceedings in a public meeting.
Proposed law exempts such boards and commissions that have the authority to levy a tax that
represent a district that is contained entirely within a municipality with a population of less
than 10,000 or that is contained entirely within a parish with a population of less than
25,000. Further requires such boards and commissions to video broadcast live all
proceedings in a public meeting. Requires each meeting to be video recorded and made
available to the public in an online archive located on the website of the board or
commission or on a social media platform for at least two years.
Proposed law additionally requires each state board or commission that is authorized to
promulgate rules pursuant to present law (Administrative Procedure Act) and each state
board or commission that is authorized to impose a fine or fee to broadcast live all
proceedings in a public meeting. Requires each meeting to be recorded and made available
to the public in an online archive located on the website of the board or commission or on
a social media platform for at least two years.
Present law requires the parish governing authority and each school board in a parish with
a population of 25,000 or more to broadcast live all of its proceedings in public meetings,
including committee meetings. Requires each governing authority of a municipality with
a population of 10,000 or more to broadcast live all city council meetings including city
council committee meetings, but provides that there is no requirement to broadcast a
committee meeting where members are volunteers.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law defines "broadcast live" as the publicly available distribution of audio and video
of the meeting in real or near real time via the internet or television broadcast. Further
excludes executive sessions from the requirement to broadcast live and provides that the
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failure of a public body subject to present law to broadcast live due to a technological failure
beyond the control of the public body or its ability to resolve timely shall not be a violation
of present law (Open Meetings Law).
Proposed law retains present law and applies present law to proposed law.
Present law requires all public bodies, except the legislature and its committees and
subcommittees, to give written public notice of any regular, special, or rescheduled meeting
no later than 24 hours before the meeting, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal
holidays. Requires the notice to include the agenda, date, time, and place of the meeting and
provides that the agenda may not be changed less than 24 hours prior to the meeting,
exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. Provides that each item on the agenda
must be listed separately and described with reasonable specificity.
Proposed law further requires each board and commission required by proposed law to video
broadcast live its meetings to include on its meeting notice sufficient information to enable
the public to locate the broadcast for viewing.
(Amends R.S. 42:19(A)(1)(c) and 23(B))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Provides each of the listed entities in proposed law shall video broadcast live all
proceedings in a public meeting.
2. Requires each meeting to be video recorded.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Exempt a board or commission with the authority to levy a tax that represents a
district within a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 or a parish
with a population of less than 25,000 from the requirements of present law and
proposed law.
2. Authorize recorded meetings to be made available on a social media platform.
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