Recording legislative and other meetings.

2017
STATE OF WYOMING
17LSO-0607
ENGROSSED
2.1

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0276

Recording legislative and other meetings.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Halverson, Barlow, Brown, Clem, Edwards, Lone, Loucks, Miller and Zwonitzer and Senator(s) Boner and Meier

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the legislature; requiring the legislative service office to record interim committee meetings and other meetings as specified; providing that communications audible on a recording are not privileged as specified; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 28
‑
8
‑
105(
a) by
creating a new paragraph (vii) and
28
‑
8
‑
116(a)(intro) and by creating a new subsection (d) are amended to read:

28
‑
8
‑
105
.

Duties of director and staff; prefiling bills; fiscal notes.

(a)

It shall be the duty of the director and staff to perform the following specific functions, together with such other functions as the council may prescribe:

(vii)

Prepare an audio recording of each meeting of a joint interim committee, select committee
or
task force that is staffed by the office and post a copy of the recording to the website of the legislature within one (1) month of the last day of the meeting.

The contents of any reco
r
ding made under this paragraph shall not be construed to supersede
the official
written
record of the
meeting
that
reflects
formal action or recommendation

when a
pproved and signed by the committee
or task force
chairman
.

Nothing in this paragraph shall require an audio recording of any portion of a meeting which is conducted in executive session and nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to waive or modify any law related to public records, public meetings or the legislature.

The failure of audio recording capability shall not
delay the proceedings of the
meeting.
The failure to record a meeting as provided by this paragraph shall not affect the validity of any action taken at the meeting.

28
‑
8
‑
116
.

Confidential communications.

(
a
)

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section and u
nless the privilege is waived by the individual legislator involved, the following shall be deemed confidential and privileged:

(d)

A communication made by a legislator
or legislative staff
which would otherwise be confidential and privileged under this section shall not be deemed confidential and privileged to the extent that the communication is audible on a recording of a public meeting as provided in W.S. 28
‑
8
‑
105(
a)(vii). Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to waive the privilege for any communication or portion of a communication that is not audible on the recording.

Section

2
.

This
act is effective July 1,
201
7
.

(END)

1
HB0276