Right now, state boards and commissions created by executive order are not subject to Idaho Open Meeting law. That means they can hold meetings without letting the public know, and without letting the public sit in on the discussions.
If a new bill passes muster at the statehouse, that could change. Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, proposed the change yesterday, fittingly during Sunshine Week – a week meant to expose transparency issues in government. The bill now goes to the Senate.
But earlier in the session, another Idaho lawmakerintroduced a proposal that would exempt all communications between members of the legislature and from public disclosure. That bill has yet to make it out of committee after getting sharp rebuke from transparency advocates.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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