(A) Subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the public shall have the right to attend and the right to speak at meetings of public bodies and all or any part of a meeting of a public body, except for closed meetings called pursuant to this subchapter may be videotaped, televised, photographed, broadcast or recorded by any person in attendance by means of a tape recorder, camera, video equipment or any other means of pictorial or sonic reproduction or in writing.
(B) (1) It shall not be a violation of this section for any public body to make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations regarding the conduct of persons attending, speaking at, videotaping, televising, photographing, broadcasting or recording its meetings. A body is not required to allow citizens to speak at each meeting, nor may it forbid public participation at all meetings.
(2) No public body shall require members of the public to identify themselves as a condition for admission to the meeting. The body may require any member of the public desiring to address the body to identify himself or herself. No public body for the purposes of circumventing the provisions of this subchapter hold a meeting in a place known by the body to be to small to accommodate the anticipated audience. No public body shall be deemed in violation of this section if it holds its meetings in its traditional meeting place which is located in the state.
(3) An agency which contracts with municipalities outside the state may hold meetings of any committee outside the state if such meetings are held only in such contracting municipalities.
(4) Final action on any agenda item shall only be taken by the agency at a meeting in the state, which meeting shall comply with Neb. RS 84-1408 to 84-1414.
(5) The public body shall, upon request, make a reasonable effort to accommodate the public’s right to hear the discussion and testimony presented at the meeting. Public bodies shall make available at the meeting, for examination and copying by members of the public, at least one copy of all reproducible written material to be discussed at an open meeting.
(Prior Code, § 1-509)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see Neb. RS 84-1412