Open Meeting Bill Appalls Vito

When Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, today proposed sharply increasing fines for violating the Idaho Open Meeting Law, he ran into a buzz saw of opposition from Reps. Vito Barbieri, Pete Nielsen, Brent Crane and Lynn Luker. “Rep. Bateman, I’m appalled at this tenfold increase here,” declared Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens. “How does this act as a deterrent? Isn’t the public disclosure that such a thing happened, and being fined whatever it may be, enough to allow the public servant to recognize that they’re in violation of this rule?” Bateman said he was only proposing increasing the maximum penalties, and he proposed a big increase – from $50 to $500 for violations, and from $500 to $5,000 for knowing or repeated violations – to reflect inflation since the Open Meeting Law first was enacted in 1974/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here .

Question: Do you think Reps. Barbieri, Nielsen, Crane & Luker respect the state’s Open Meeting Law?