Senate Approves Open Meetings Bill
The Alabama Senate has approved open meetings legislation sought by the Alabama Press Association and the governor.
The Senate voted 25-1 Thursday for the bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Cam Ward of Alabaster. Ward says Alabama’s open meetings law has been gutted by three rulings from the Alabama Supreme Court, and the bill approved by the Senate restores many provisions of the law.
It restores the ability of citizens to sue government boards over alleged violations of the open meeting requirements and it prohibits small groups of a government board getting together repeatedly in private to deliberate.
An Alabama Press Association official says Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh has made the bill’s passage a priority. The bill now goes to the House.
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