2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 20 - EDUCATION (§§ 20-1-1 — 20-18-7) › Chapter 2 - ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (§§ 20-2-1 — 20-2-2140) › Article 3 - LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION (§§ 20-2-49 — 20-2-75) › Section 20-2-58 - Regular monthly meeting of local boards with public comment; adjournment; temporary presiding officer; notice of date; template for financial review; open meetings

(a)
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. The local board of education shall provide a public comment period during such regular monthly meetings. 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. Any such regular monthly 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 dates of its regular monthly meetings and shall publish such dates 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 dates; provided, however, that the dates shall not be changed more often than once in 12 months and, if changed, the new date or dates shall also be published as provided in this Code section. The local board of education shall also publish notice of such regular monthly meetings in a prominent manner on its principal public website.
(b)
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.
(c)
(1)
Except as otherwise provided by law, including, but not limited to, the provisions of subsection (b) of Code Section
50-14-3
, all meetings of a local board of education, including, but not limited to, regular monthly meetings provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section, shall be open to the public. The local board of education shall publish notice of each such public meeting in a prominent manner on its principal public website.
(2)
Visual and sound recording shall be permitted at all such public meetings.
(3)
By October 1, 2022, and by August 1 each year thereafter, each local board of education shall adopt rules of conduct for public meetings of the local board of education and shall publish such rules of conduct in a prominent manner on its principal public website. Such rules shall include provisions for the removal of members of the public for actual disruption of a public meeting of the local board of education.
(4)
A member of the public may be removed from a public meeting of a local board of education for an actual disruption of the proceedings, as determined according to the rules of conduct for meetings open to the public adopted and published by the local board of education.
(5)
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of any law enforcement officer or the application or enforcement of Chapter 14 of Title 50.
Amended by 2022 Ga. Laws 721,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by 2020 Ga. Laws 389,§ 4-1, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by 2020 Ga. Laws 389,§ 1-3, eff. 7/1/2021.