Washington Code 42.30.240 – Public comment
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(1) Except in an emergency situation, the governing body of a public agency shall provide an opportunity at or before every regular meeting at which final action is taken for public comment. The public comment required under this section may be taken orally at a public meeting, or by providing an opportunity for written testimony to be submitted before or at the meeting. If the governing body accepts written testimony, this testimony must be distributed to the governing body. The governing body may set a reasonable deadline for the submission of written testimony before the meeting.
Terms Used In Washington Code 42.30.240
- Action: means the transaction of the official business of a public agency by a governing body including but not limited to receipt of public testimony, deliberations, discussions, considerations, reviews, evaluations, and final actions. See Washington Code 42.30.020
- Governing body: means the multimember board, commission, committee, council, or other policy or rule-making body of a public agency, or any committee thereof when the committee acts on behalf of the governing body, conducts hearings, or takes testimony or public comment. See Washington Code 42.30.020
- Meeting: means meetings at which action is taken. See Washington Code 42.30.020
- Public agency: means :
Washington Code 42.30.020Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(2) Upon the request of any individual who will have difficulty attending a meeting of the governing body of a public agency by reason of disability, limited mobility, or for any other reason that makes physical attendance at a meeting difficult, the governing body shall, when feasible, provide an opportunity for that individual to provide oral comment at the meeting remotely if oral comment from other members of the public will be accepted at the meeting.
(3) Nothing in this section prevents a governing body from allowing public comment on items not on the meeting agenda.
(4) Nothing in this section diminishes the authority of governing bodies to deal with interruptions under RCW 42.30.050, limits the ability of the governing body to put limitations on the time available for public comment or on how public comment is accepted, or requires a governing body to accept public comment that renders orderly conduct of the meeting unfeasible.
[ 2022 c 115 § 13.]
NOTES:
Findings—Intent—2022 c 115: See note following RCW 42.30.230.