[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Town of Leonardtown
10-13-1992 by Ord. No. 75. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
At any open session of the Leonardtown Council, its Boards
or Commissions, hereinafter the public body, the general public is invited
to attend and observe.
B.
Except in instances when the public body expressly invites
public testimony, questions, comments or other forms of public participation,
or when public participation is otherwise authorized by law, no member of
the public attending an open session may participate in the session.
A.
A person attending an open session of the public body
may not engage in any conduct, including visual demonstrations such as the
waving of placards, signs or banners, that disrupts the session or that interferes
with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the session.
B.
Actions of presiding officer.
(1)
The presiding officer may order any person who persisted in conduct prohibited by Subsection A of this section or who violates any other regulation concerning the conduct of the open session to be removed from the session and may request police assistance to restore order.
(2)
The presiding officer may recess the session while order
is restored.
A.
A member of the public, including any representative
of the news media, may record discussions of the public body at an open session
by means of a tape recorder or any other recording device if the device does
not create noise that disturbs members of the public body or other persons
attending the session.
B.
A member of the public, including any representative
of the news media, may photograph or videotape the proceedings of the public
body at an open session by means of any type of camera if the camera:
D.
The presiding officer may restrict the movement of a
person who is using a recording device, camera or broadcasting or televising
equipment if such restriction is necessary to maintain the orderly conduct
of the session.
A recording of an open session made by a member of the public or any
transcript derived from such a recording may not be deemed a part of the record
of any proceeding of the public body.
