UPDATE: The bill failed in the House committee on Wednesday. It could be brought up again, though.
We love Representative Mary Bentley; she has been a great state rep and was our first endorsement of the 2022 cycle. This bill, however, is a bad bill and is not in the public interest.
https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1610&ddBienniumSession=2023%2F2023R&Search=
By requiring a quorum before a meeting is subject to FOIA / Open Records laws, school boards, city councils, and quorum courts will meet in secret, whether by email, text, or in person. It’s very easy for a 13 member board to put 6 members in one room, 6 in another, and have one go between. Government operates best in sunlight, and while well-meaning, Representative Bentley’s bill will result in government operating in darkness behind closed doors.
We strongly urge you to OPPOSE HB1610.
Committee members who will consider this bill are listed below: