Open Meetings Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4857
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Law
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T06:46:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
## Purpose The legislation aims to enhance transparency for meetings of judicial conferences and councils by mandating public notice, live audio access, and archiving of proceedings.
## Key Provisions
- Definition: Establishes a "covered meeting" as any meeting of a conference or council held under chapter 15 of title 28, United States Code.
- Notice Requirement: The Judicial Conference must publish details (date, time, place, and agenda) on its website at least 30 days before a covered meeting. An exception allows waiver for good cause, with a required public explanation.
- Live Audio Streaming: Meetings must include free, public live audio streaming without registration. The Judicial Conference must archive streams and publish them online within 7 days.
- Closed Sessions: Conferences or councils may enter closed sessions if publication is prohibited by law or by majority vote for sensitive matters, but must state the reason beforehand.
- Clerical Update: Adds the new section 336 to the table of sections in chapter 15.
## Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces new documentation and access rules by adding section 336 to title 28, United States Code. Prior law lacked these specific requirements for advance notice, streaming, and archiving of covered meetings.
## Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires the Judicial Conference to update its website operations, maintain archives, and manage closed-session procedures.
- Citizens: Provides greater public access to judicial conference activities through free online notice and recordings.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
## Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Judicial Conference of the United States and related judicial councils.
- Federal judges and council members participating in meetings.
- The general public seeking information on judicial processes.
- Congress, as the body overseeing judicial administration.
## Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure promotes open government principles in judicial administration without altering core judicial functions. It includes explicit exceptions to balance transparency with confidentiality needs, potentially addressing concerns under laws protecting sensitive information. No constitutional changes are proposed.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Open Meetings Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (4 pages)