Access counselor: Lawmaker violated Open Door Law during hearing on transgender sports bill - IndyStar
An Indiana lawmaker violated the state's Open Door Law when he told the public they could not record a General Assembly committee meeting Wednesday, according to the state's public access counselor.
Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, chair of the Senate's education committee, told a crowd gathered in the Senate chamber that he would not allow recording of the meeting. The chamber was full as lawmakers considered a bill that would ban transgender girls from playing girls sports.
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Before starting the hours-long meeting, which had three bills on the agenda, Raatz laid out extensive rules to "maintain decorum" for the public and committee members. The rules, though, were different than he has laid out at previous education committee meetings.
The "no recording" by the public rule had not been announced before. Committee meetings also are livestreamed online by staff and the recordings archived on the General Assembly's website.
He also limited committee members to one question each, instead of the usual two.
"We're going to maintain decorum today and I mean that sincerely," he said. "If there are any shouting, or any behavior that talks down to somebody, or anything along those lines, I'll recess the meeting and we'll vacate the chamber," Raatz said. "So no interruptions, no shouting at all... I really don't want to clear the room but but I will if we have to."
Raatz also said there was a plain clothes state police officer in the chamber.
"And that's not threatening," he said. "I just want you to know that I'm serious about our decorum in this chamber today."
But Indiana's Open Door Law states that "all meetings of the governing bodies of public agencies must be open at all times for the purpose of permitting members of the public to observe and record them."
That portion of the law does apply to committee meetings of the General Assembly, said Luke Britt, the state's public access counselor.
More than three hours into the meeting, Raatz said the audience could record. The public testimony lasted another 15 minutes.
"I didn't really want folks to record or take pictures because it was so overcrowded in this room," he said. "If you wish to now, you're able to do that."
Raatz did not give a reason for the rule when he issued it at the start of the meeting.
The Senate heard House Bill 1041 on Wednesday, which drew the large crowd. Last month, when the bill was heard in the House's education committee, there were several outbursts during the meeting and the gallery of onlookers erupted in shouting and chanting after the committee voted to advance the legislation.
Supporters of the bill say it's about protecting opportunity and fair competition in girls sports. Advocates for transgender youth say the bill is discriminatory.
The Senate education committee did not vote on the bill Wednesday. Bills often receive a public hearing one day and are brought back for a vote at a later date.
Call IndyStar education reporter Arika Herron at 317-201-5620 or email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.
source: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/02/09/indiana-transgender-sports-bill-counselor-says-open-door-law-violated/6724126001/
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