The News Editorial; 'By The People Act'

One piece of proposed legislation in the upcoming 2024 Wyoming Budget Session is designed to increase public accessibility and participation.

House Bill 49, also known as “By The People Act” adds to the current Wyoming public meeting law the following language, “To the extent practicable, public meetings shall provide live remote audio or video access to the meeting by members of the public.”

We know through the COVID pandemic that this is possible as many public meetings provided remote access. Washakie County purchased a couple of Meeting Owls for video conferencing and used them during the pandemic and continue to use them on occasion if someone needs to meet remotely.

The city also provided remote Zoom access during the pandemic. Both Washakie County school boards provided remote access, as did the Town of Ten Sleep.

In Washakie County the Town of Ten Sleep is the only one to continue providing remote access to their meetings on a regular basis, which we utilize here at the Northern Wyoming News.

Hot Springs County School District No. 1 Board also regularly provides live and video recordings of all of their monthly meetings.

Yes, there were some glitches in the beginning with Zoom. Who can forget the hack of the Worland city council meeting? There were also other hacks at some local meetings, but the council’s was probably the most memorable.

The point is that the technology is available and all of our local government agencies have used the technology. Providing the public more access to government agencies doing the public’s business is a good thing. I applaud Rep. Sarah Penn for bringing forth this legislation.

The bill also addresses public comment, noting that if an agency provides specific timeframe for public comment, either in general or on agenda items, then “the public comment period shall not be closed until the times public comment period has elapsed.”

Every agency we cover handles public comment differently. Worland school board allows a time for general public comment but those wishing to speak must sign in; Thermopolis school board recently changed their public comment to allow for comments only on agenda items.

The Worland City Council has a time specified on their agenda for “Citizens’ Petitions, Commendations & Concerns.”

Under the proposed act, public comment period would be required. The proposed legislation states, “An agency that does not provide a timed public comment period shall allow a reasonable amount of time per agenda item for members of the public to provide public comment.”

I remember several years ago when I was working for the Laramie Boomerang and covering city council they considered moving the public comment period to the end of the meeting, in an attempt to try and discourage some folks from staying for the entire meeting. Some agencies like to play games when it comes to public comment and that seems to be where this legislation is coming from.

The main sponsor is Rep. Sarah Penn (R- Lander). Penn said the legislation stems from comments she has received about problems across the state and in her own Fremont County. She said there have been issues with the Fremont County Library Board and Fremont County Commissioner meetings.

She said the Library Board had been doing Zoom meetings but in what people there felt was an attempt to limit access they noted they were not statutorily required.

The commissioners, she said, at one point eliminated public comment from their agenda.

“I’m passionate about people being involved and active in government. That’s our duty. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson said that governments are instituted among the men and they get their power from the consent of the governed. And so if the people are not ever allowed to give their consent, or to give their opinion or their direction we really end up in a backward situation. The people should be the boss of the government. It seems like when we’re seeing these restricted public comment times, people have it backwards. It seems that they are thinking they are the boss and they will let the citizens know when they are ready for their opinion. It really should be the other way around.”

The bill also requires minutes to be available to the public, along with the audio and/or video recordings of the meetings.

Penn said this is her priority bill and she is going to work hard to get the support it needs for a two-thirds vote for introduction and then passage.

People need to see this is not just an issue in Fremont County but an issue across the state, she said, and I agree. While we may not see some of the same issues they see in Fremont County, it does not mean it could not happen here.

The bill ensures the public’s business stays public and ensures the public has a voice in their government, no matter who is in office.

I encourage our local legislators to support the By The People Act.