GA Code § 20-2-58 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 20 - Education|Chapter 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education|Article 3 - Local Boards of Education|§ 20-2-58. Regular Monthly Meeting of Local Boards; Adjournment; Temporary Presiding Officer; Notice of Date; Template for Financial Review; Public Comment Period

  It shall be the duty of each local board of education to hold a regular meeting during each calendar month for the transaction of business pertaining to the public schools and to review the financial status of the local school system. Any such meeting may be adjourned from time to time, and, in the absence of the president or secretary, the members of the local board may appoint one of their own number to serve temporarily. The local board shall annually determine the date of its meeting and shall publish it either in the official county organ or, at the option of the local board of education, in a newspaper having a general circulation in said county at least equal to that of the official county organ for two consecutive weeks following the setting of the date; provided, however, that the date shall not be changed more often than once in 12 months and, if changed, the new date shall also be published as provided in this Code section.   The State Board of Education shall create a template for local boards of education to use to review the financial status of their local school systems, which shall include, at a minimum, a statement of revenues, expenditures, and encumbrances.   Each local board of education shall provide a public comment period during every regular monthly meeting.Such public comment period shall be included on the agenda required to be made available and posted prior to the meeting pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Code Section 50-14-1.A local board of education shall not require notice by an individual more than 24 hours prior to the meeting as a condition of addressing the local board during such public comment period.The chairperson of the local board of education shall have the discretion to limit the length of time for individual comments and the number of individuals speaking for or against a specific issue.    (Ga. L. 1919, p. 288, § 83; Code 1933, § 32-908; Ga. L. 1955, p. 625, § 1; Ga. L. 1973, p. 700, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 612, § 2; Ga. L. 1991, p. 726, § 1; Ga. L. 2020, p. 62, §§ 1-3, 4-1/SB 68.)    The 2020 amendment,  effective July 1, 2021, designated the existing provisions as subsection (a), added "and to review the financial status of the local school system" at the end of the first sentence in subsection (a), and added subsection (b) twice.   Cross references.   - Open Meetings Act, § 50-14-1.   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1987, in the last sentence, a comma was deleted between "12 months" and "and" and a comma inserted between "and" and "if changed".   Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2020, the second subsection (b) as added by Ga. L. 2020, p. 62, § 4-1/SB 68 was designated as subsection (c).   Law reviews.   - For article, "The Amended Open Meetings Law: New Requirements for Publicly Funded Corporations As Well As Governmental Agencies," see 25 Ga. St. B.J. 78 (1988).   OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL    Word "date" is to be construed to mean  the day of the week or month on which county board meetings are to be held and includes the time for such meetings. 1960-61 Op. Att'y Gen. p. 146.    County superintendent must of necessity be permitted to attend any official meeting of county board.  1954-56 Op. Att'y Gen. p. 171.   Absence of chair or secretary.    - Local board of education must organize itself in the manner set forth in O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-57 and20-2-58; however, the board may select two of the board's members to serve temporarily in the absence of the chair or secretary and may designate the members as vice-chairs. 1987 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U87-9.   RESEARCH REFERENCES   Am. Jur. 2d.   - 68 Am. Jur. 2d, Schools, §§ 74, 75.   C.J.S.   - 78 C.J.S., Schools and School Districts, § 138 et seq.   ALR.   - Libel and slander: Privileged nature of statements or utterances by member of school board in course of official proceedings, 85 A.L.R.3d 1137.