hybrid meetings and public comment

[Guest guest]

Can you still allow public comment from virtual participants with hybrid board meetings or are they required to be in person?

[Rob Elsman]

Nothing in RONR (12th ed.) requires "public comment from virtual participants" to be in person.  If public comments are regularly allowed, there should be rules adopted to regulate how these may be done.

[Greg Goodwiller, PRP]

RONR 9:29 states, "Some bodies, especially public ones, may invite nonmembers to express their views, but this is done under the control of the presiding officer subject to any relevant rules adopted by the body and subject to appeal by a member."

So your rules for these hybrid meetings would determine whether or not this would be allowed, and how it would occur.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 12/19/2023 at 11:32 AM, Guest guest said:

Can you still allow public comment from virtual participants with hybrid board meetings or are they required to be in person?

RONR does not authorize hybrid meetings, nor does it require allowing public comment.

Both of these situations would be subject to local rules adopted in your bylaws or special rules of order.  So you are free to structure them however you like.