Open Meetings Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4857 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4857

To amend chapter 15 of title 28, United States Code, with respect to documentation requirements for a meeting of certain conferences and councils.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 23, 2026

Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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A BILL

To amend chapter 15 of title 28, United States Code, with respect to documentation requirements for a meeting of certain conferences and councils.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Open Meetings Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT FOR MEETING OF CERTAIN CONFERENCES AND COUNCILS.

(a) In General.--Chapter 15 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 336. Documentation requirement for meeting of certain conferences and councils ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `covered meeting' means a meeting of a conference or council undertaken pursuant to this chapter. ``(b) Notice Requirement.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days before a covered meeting, the Judicial Conference shall publish notice of the covered meeting on the internet website of the Judicial Conference, including the date, time, place, and agenda of the covered meeting. ``(2) Exception.--The Judicial Conference may waive for good cause the requirement under paragraph (1). If the Judicial Conference waives the requirement under paragraph (1), the Judicial Conference shall publish an explanation for why the requirement was not met on the internet website of the Judicial Conference. ``(c) Live Audio Streaming Requirement.-- ``(1) In general.--Each covered meeting shall provide live audio streaming, accessible to the public without charge or registration. ``(2) Record.--The Judicial Conference shall maintain an archive of each live audio stream provided pursuant to paragraph (1). ``(3) Publication.--Not later than 7 days after the date of a covered meeting, the Judicial Conference shall publish on the internet website of the Judicial Conference an archive of the live audio stream required under paragraph (1) in a manner that is accessible to the public without charge or registration. ``(4) Exception.-- ``(A) In general.--During each covered meeting, the conference or council-- ``(i) shall resolve into a closed session when publication of the matter at issue is prohibited by law; or ``(ii) may, by a majority vote, resolve into a closed session as determined appropriate by the conference or council for consideration of a sensitive or confidential matter. ``(B) Statement.--Prior to resolving into a closed session under subparagraph (A), the conference or council shall state the reason for so resolving.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 15 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``336. Documentation requirement for meeting of certain conferences and councils.''. <all>