NEW ERA

A Nov. 24 article was headed "Will open-meetings law ever be revived?" and goes on to say "The state House adjourned for the year Wednesday without taking action on Senate Bill 467. The bill would have increased fines to pen meetings, violations from $100 to $1,000." It then quoted retiring Sen. Gibson Armstrong as saying "Hopefully, somebody else will pick up the banner and move forward."

WATCHDOG: The state legislature took no action probably because the members recognize restricting legislators from discussing matters outside of public session is impractical and unenforceable.

The commissioners Dick Shellenberger, Molly Henderson and Pete Shaub were fined because they agreed to a violation as a sop to then District Attorney Donald Totaro to get him to call off his year long witch hunt, which had come up totally empty.

The Grand Jury did not present evidence of violations by the commissioners. Rather it described the Sunshine Act as ineffectual.

True protection comes from a requiring a second reading and mandating sufficient delay before passage for public input.