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Proposal wants to exempt written communication, ‘electronic or otherwise,’ between two lawmakers from open meetings requirements.
DENVER — Leaders of the Colorado General Assembly, along with several Democratic members, are seeking sweeping exemptions for lawmakers from the state’s open meetings law, which contains guarantees of transparency when officials craft policies.
The exemptions only apply to the legislature, not to other policymaking bodies such as a city council or county commission.
It’s not immediately clear if the proposal is a direct response to a lawsuit filed in July against leaders of both House caucuses. That lawsuit from two Democratic legislators claimed the Democratic and GOP caucuses each held mandatory secret meetings at least weekly during the 2023 legislative session, directing legislative aides to omit or disguise the meetings on legislators’ calendars, and thereby failing to adhere to the state’s open meetings law.
The lawsuit was settled in September with an agreement from leaders to not hold meetings that could violate the open meetings law and for members to not use open messaging apps to conduct public business.
The proposal introduced by House Speaker Julie McCluskie and Senate President Steve Fenberg would change the laws so that written communication, “electronic or otherwise,” that is exchanged between members of the General Assembly is not subject to open meetings laws.
> Read the full story on Colorado Politics.
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