MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - Missourians would have more access to issues concerning to state universities and colleges in their state under a bill presented in the House Committee in Higher Education on Wednesday.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tim Harlan, D-Columbia, would require that committees which give advice and report to a chancellor or the president of UM would be covered by the state's open meetings when a meeting was held to discuss policy advice.
The open meetings law, know as the Sunshine Law, requires public advance notice of meetings as well as requiring the meetings be open to the general public.
The current open meetings law applies only to committees appointed by the Board of Curators, Harlan said.
"Most of these meetings are open anyway, but our purpose is to make sure that they can't be closed." Harlan said.
The bill defines these policy advisory committees as public governmental bodies. These committees are appointed for the purpose of recommending policy and policy revisions to the Board of Curators, President or Chancellor.
The bill is also supported by the University system. "We have to be able to identify which committees have to be opened to the public," said Jim Snider, the University of Missouri chief lobbyist.
But chances for the bill would appear dim because of the short time left in the legislative session that must adjourn in less than six weeks.
Even if approved by committee, the bill would be at the bottom of a list of bills awaiting House action that already is more than 50 bills long.