Sunshine Week: COVID-19 pandemic redefines public access to government meetings
David A. Lieb
Associated Press
It wasn t long ago when a public meeting of the city council or state legislature meant the general public could show up to watch and, quite often, speak about proposals and perceived problems.
The coronavirus pandemic has put an end to that in many places, perhaps permanently altering the way the American public interacts with government.
A year after COVID-19 triggered government shutdowns and crowd limitations, more public bodies than ever are livestreaming their meetings for anyone to watch from a computer, television or smartphone. But in some cases, it s become harder for people to actually talk with their elected officials.
Associated Press
It wasn’t long ago when a “public meeting” of the city council or state legislature meant the general public could show up to watch and, quite often, speak about proposals and perceived problems.
The coronavirus pandemic has put an end to that in many places, perhaps permanently altering the way the American public interacts with government.
A year after COVID-19 triggered government shutdowns and crowd limitations, more public bodies than ever are livestreaming their meetings for anyone to watch from a computer, television or smartphone. But in some cases, it’s become harder for people to actually talk with their elected officials.