(Watch) Sen. Sampson: Elected Officials Should Not Be Separated From the People

March 30, 2022

 

Sen. Sampson speaks against a bill (S.B. 467) that extends the ability of a local government to hold fully-remote or hybrid public meetings, potentially eliminating the public’s in-person access to their elected representatives. Senator Sampson expressed his support for remote meeting options in addition to in-person, but not in lieu of. (Government Administration and Elections Committee, Mar. 29, 2022)

 

Outlining his opposition further, Sen. Sampson wrote:

“Yesterday 3/29/22, the legislature’s Government Administration & Elections committee passed yet another nefarious and dangerous bill on a party line vote. (All D’s yes, All R’s no)

Senate Bill 467 – AN ACT EXTENDING PERMITTING REMOTE PUBLIC MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022.

Despite the title, the updated substitute (JFS) language of the bill has no sunset and will allow local government bodies including Boards of Education and Town Councils to end “in-person” meetings and limit public access only to remote or electronic means. This is a giant step towards the progressive dream of undermining our American system of representative government. Please speak out against this and help me stop this from becoming law.”