Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 44.

This bill requires certain governing bodies to make agendas of meetings and supplemental meeting documents available to the public as described below. This bill requires a governing body: (1) To make available to the public, at no charge, an agenda of an upcoming public meeting of the body that clearly describes the matters to be discussed at the meeting in a place accessible to the public a minimum of 48 hours prior to the meeting. However, this bill authorizes a governing body to act on matters not listed on the agenda if the governing body follows its bylaws, its rules, and other applicable state law; (2) To make available to the public, at no charge, supplemental meeting documents in a place accessible to the public for a minimum period of 48 hours prior to the meeting. This bill defines "supplemental meeting documents" to include proposed ordinances, proposed contracts, proposed resolutions, written staff recommendations, reports, and other materials given to the governing body members in advance of the meeting; (3) To make supplemental documents, not otherwise confidential pursuant to state or federal law, publicly accessible when they are given to the governing body members if such documents are not available to such members 48 hours prior to the meeting; and (4) To promptly provide copies of its agenda and supplemental meeting documents, at no charge, to a citizen who requests copies, and to have a reasonable number of copies available at the meeting. This bill provides that a governing body can comply with the public accessibility requirements described in (1)-(3) by publishing the agenda and supplemental documents on its website. ON APRIL 5, 2023, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 27, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to require that a legislative body for a municipal, metropolitan, or county government make available to the public, at no charge and at least 48 hours prior to a meeting, the agenda for the upcoming meeting in a place accessible to the public. Publication on a legislative body's website is not required, but will satisfy this amendment's notice requirement. This amendment specifies that a local government legislative body may deliberate or act upon matters not listed on the agenda if the body follows its bylaws or rules and procedures and complies with all other applicable state laws. This amendment prohibits a local government legislative body from circumventing the spirit or requirements of this amendment's notice requirement by withholding items from an agenda for the purpose of avoiding public disclosure of business to be considered by the legislative body.