SUMMARY:  This bill would amend Chapter 80 of Title 36 of the O.C.G.A. to allow citizens the right to speak at public meetings, including boards of education meetings.

REQUIREMENTS:

• The citizen would be required to reside in the district.
• The citizen would be able to speak for no more than 5 minutes on official actions or topics relating to the business of the board.
• The citizen could request to speak no later than the beginning of the meeting.
• The board would be able to place restrictions on the speaker such as decorum and identification, but they could not impose any requirements that speakers sign up or express a desire to speak at any earlier time than provided in the proposed law.