Open government meetings to be studied

A deadlocked effort in the General Assembly to levy fines for violations of the state?s open meetings law led Tuesday to the creation of a special committee to make recommendations for the next session of the General Assembly.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted unanimously to create a 14-member panel made up of lawmakers, the governor?s office, local officials, members of media associations and open government groups.

?We believe this is probably the best way to get a change in place, since we have failed to accomplish it legislatively,? Frank Gibson, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, said following the committee vote.

The special committee would begin meeting in September and required to report its preliminary recommendations by Dec. 1 and a final report by Feb. 1.

Proponents of the failed open meetings bill said it would have added teeth to the rules by making officials who knowingly violate the regulations pay a $50 fine and legal fees. But the measure ran into stiff opposition from local officials.

?We?ll look at all the issues and hopefully come up with some recommendations,? Doug Goddard, executive director of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association, said.

Existing law states that two members of the same body cannot privately discuss public matters, but opponents of the new measure say it’s impossible for officials to prove what they were ? or were not ? discussing if a complaint is filed.

The committee will bring together the same groups that lobbied for and against the current legislation, along with some new parties.

The special committee will consider the first major overhaul of the state?s Sunshine in Government law since it was created in 1974 in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal.