A bill requiring government boards and commissions to allow people to speak before making a substantive decision unanimously passed the Senate Government Oversight and Accountability Committee on Wednesday.
The measure (SB 50) is aimed at allowing members of the public the right to make a statement before the body makes its decision, though it would exclude routine matters like the approval of the minutes.
“All this bill says is, if you are spending taxpayers’ money, you’re doing the public’s business, that you just can’t make a blanket statement that, ‘We’re not going to hear from anybody,’” said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the bill’s sponsor.
The proposal still has to pass the Senate Appropriations and Rules committees.
This is a darn good idea and long overdue.