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I had the opportunity to participate in an interim study conducted by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat this past week about the potential to make permanent changes to the Open Meetings Act that would allow agencies, boards and commissions at the state and local level to hold public meetings virtually. There are many agencies, boards, commissions, etc. across our district that are subject to the Open Meetings Act. County Commission meetings, City council meetings, municipal boards, zoning boards, and school boards to name a few.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our state in March, the legislature took quick action to allow these agencies and boards to continue to hold meetings and conduct business virtually or remotely in a fair and transparent process while still protecting public health. The changes we made were temporary and are scheduled to expire on Nov. 15; however, considering the success of these changes, it may be prudent to make them permanent and continue offering this online alternative.
We live in a technology driven age, so it only makes sense to stream meetings online and through other platforms to allow more people to access the information being presented. Opening meetings to an online forum increases transparency, public input and allows those who would typically be unable to attend in-person keep up with what’s happening.
While the changes we made were not perfect, it was a start. Tweaks do need to happen in order to make these permanent changes, and I’d love to hear feedback from my constituents about how these changes impacted our local communities, schools, organizations and boards. If you have any feedback or suggestions –positive or negative—please reach out. If we are going to move forward with permanent changes, I want to make sure they are effective and helpful to our local communities.
Finally, on most all my recent columns, I’ve discussed the 2020 Census, and my last column was devoted entirely to this vital subject. Consider this the last reminder of the census. September 30th is the FINAL deadline to fill out the questionnaire to ensure you and your families are counted in this population count that is only taken once every 10 years. The results from the census dictate how much federal funding our local communities and state receive for important core services like education, health care, mental health, transportation and more. Each person counted by the census will bring in nearly $17,000 in federal funds for our state and local communities. By filling out the questionnaire, you are ensuring a brighter future for our communities and state.
You’ve probably received numerous invitations to complete the questionnaire at this point, but the easiest way to return it is by visiting 2020census.gov and completing it online. You can also call 844-330-2020 and complete it by phone.
Thank you for allowing me to be your voice at the State Capitol. You can contact me by email at Darcy.Jech@oksenate.gov or by phone at 405-521-5545.