Several other bills that may impact public education were considered today. Below is a summary of some of those bills.
The Senate Local Government Committee reported Sen. Sturtevant's SB795, which will require localities and school boards to post of their websites a register of all funds expended, showing vendor name, date of payment, amount, and a description of the type of expense, including credit card purchases with the same information. The bill contains exemptions for certain information.
The House General Laws Subcommittee #2 considered two FOIA bills carried by Del. Morris. The first bill, HB2401, which would have required public bodies to take minutes of all closed meetings and to record all closed meetings, was tabled.
The second bill, HB2402 provides that if the court finds that any officer or employee of a public body (i) receives a request for records that was sent by a requester by certified mail, return receipt requested, and (ii) without legal excuse or justification, deliberately, willfully, and knowingly fails to make a response to such request, such officer or employee may be terminated for cause by his appointing authority or agency head. The subcommittee recommended reporting HB2402.
