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HB0203 • 2025

By the people act.

AN ACT relating to public meetings; requiring audio or video access to public meetings to the extent practicable; providing for public comment at public meetings; specifying when minutes of a public meeting are required to be made available to the public; requiring an agency that makes an audio or video recording of a public meeting to make the recording available for the public; authorizing broadcasting or recording of public meetings; and providing for an effective date.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Singh
Last action
2025-02-03
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status as 'Did Not Pass' means the effective date specified in the bill is not applicable.

By the People Act

The By the People Act requires public meetings to provide live audio or video access when practical, allows for remote participation by members of the public, mandates that meeting minutes are available online or at a public location, and ensures recordings made during meetings are accessible to the public.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires public meetings to provide live audio or video access if it is practical.
  • Allows members of the public to participate in meetings remotely when possible.
  • Mandates that agencies compile minutes for each meeting and make them available online or at a public location.
  • Requiring any recordings made during public meetings by an agency to be accessible to the public on their website or another public place.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Government agencies that hold public meetings
  • Members of the public who want to attend and participate in public meetings

Terms To Know

public meeting
A gathering where government officials discuss or make decisions about matters affecting the community, open for anyone to observe.
minutes
Written records of what happened during a public meeting, including actions taken and discussions had.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in its session.
  • Details on how agencies must provide access to recordings and minutes are left unspecified.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-03 House

    H Did not Consider for Introduction

  2. 2025-01-16 House

    H Received for Introduction

  3. 2025-01-15 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
25LSO-0468
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0468
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0203

By the people act.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Singh, Bear, Filer, Guggenmos, Heiner, Ottman, Pendergraft and Strock and Senator(s) Laursen, D and Steinmetz

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to public meetings; requiring audio or video access to public meetings to the extent practicable; providing for public comment at public meetings; specifying when minutes of a public meeting are required to be made available to the public; requiring an agency that makes an audio or video recording of a public meeting to make the recording available for the public; authorizing broadcasting or recording of public meetings; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.

W.S. 16
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4
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403(a), (b), (c)(intro) and by creating a new subsection (e) is amended to read:

16
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4
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403.

Meetings to be open; participation by public; minutes; recordings.

(a)

All meetings of the governing body of an agency are public meetings, open to the public at all times, except as otherwise provided.
To the extent practicable, public meetings shall provide live audio or video access to the meeting and shall provide for remote participation by members of the public.
No action of a governing body of an agency shall be taken except during a public meeting following notice of the meeting in accordance with this act. Action taken at a meeting not in conformity with this act is null and void and not merely voidable.

(b)

A member of the public is not required as a condition of attendance at any meeting to register his name, to supply information, to complete a questionnaire, or fulfill any other condition precedent to his attendance. A person seeking recognition at the meeting may be required to give his name and affiliation.
If an agency provides a timed public comment period for a specific agenda item or for general public comment, the public comment period shall not be closed until the timed public comment period listed on the agenda has elapsed. An agency that does not specify a timed public comment period for a specific agenda item shall allow a reasonable amount of time per agenda item for members of the public to provide public comment.

(c)

Each agency shall compile minutes for each public meeting. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and in W.S. 16
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4
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405(b), the minutes from the meeting shall be made available to the public on the website of the agency or at another location that is accessible to the public.
Minutes of a meeting:

(e)

Meetings that permit live audio or video access to the meeting by members of the public as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall be recorded. The unaltered original audio or video recording of a public meeting made for whatever purpose by or at the direction of the agency shall be made available to the public on the website of the agency or at another location that is accessible to the public. No agency shall prohibit or restrict the broadcast or audio or video recording of a public meeting unless the agency reasonably determines that the broadcast or recording would cause a disruption of the meeting.

Section 2
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This act is effective July 1, 2025
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(END)

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HB0203