# RESOLUTION NO. 23-22

**MODIFICATION TO THE RULES OF THE HICKMAN COUNTY LEGISLATIVE BODY**

WHEREAS, the Hickman County Legislative Body desires to follow through on commitments made to the citizens of Hickman County by adhering to state and local laws; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee House Bill 448 and Tennessee Senate Bill 27 of the 112th General Assembly, being signed into Public Chapter by the Governor, take effect on July 1st 2023; and

WHEREAS, the new public chapter requires local legislative bodies to allow the Public to speak on issues on the meeting agenda during a commission meeting and allows for a copy of any document utilized by the commission during its meetings to be available to the public; and

WHEREAS, the following changes to Rule 3 and Rule 4 of the Rules of Hickman County Legislative Body are required (See ATTACHMENT 1).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Legislative Body of Hickman County, Tennessee, assembled in regular session this June 26, 2023 that:

**Section 1:** The following Rules of the Legislative Body of Hickman County are hereby modified to adhere to the change to provide for a time for the Public to speak and a copy of documents to be debated during a commission meeting;

**Section 2:** These changes are hereby adopted this June 26, 2023 and are immediately effective, the public welfare requiring it.

The packet's Attachment 1 (the marked Rule 3 and Rule 4 text) is not in the OCR extract. Sponsors explained the changes on the floor as narrowly targeted to comply with the new law:

- Added a required public-comment period.
- The chair may specify operational details such as time and speaker handling.
- Public comment will function like a public hearing: speakers may address the body, but commissioners will not respond or debate.
- The public may speak only on issues appearing on that meeting's agenda.
- No speaker may exceed 5 minutes.
- The entire public-comment period may not exceed 30 minutes.
- The chair must make agenda copies available to attendees at the meeting.
- Meeting materials would be available electronically on the county website before the meeting, and paper copies would be provided upon request.

Sponsors said the rules were written to be specific enough to comply now, while allowing later adjustment if the process proved unworkable. Paper copies would be free for now. The adopted text did not yet include a sign-up cutoff time for speakers; the chair described an in-person sign-up sheet as the initial plan.

**Sponsors:** Wayne Thomasson, District 3; Keith Nash, District 4

**Motion:** Wayne Thomasson, seconded by Keith Nash.

**Commission action:** 13 Aye, 0 Nay, 1 Absent — Adopted.

**Yes:** Claude Callicott, Matthew Barnhill, Clay Chessor, Danny Clark, Todd Collins, Steve Gianakos, Dusty Jordan, Ron Mayberry, Wylie McNair, Carla Moore, Ricky Murray, Keith Nash, Wayne Thomasson.

**Absent:** Devin Pickard.

RESOLUTION NO. 23-22

MODIFICATION TO THE RULES OF THE HICKMAN COUNTY LEGISLATIVE BODY

WHEREAS, the Hickman County Legislative Body desires to follow through on commitments made to the citizens of Hickman County by adhering to state and local laws; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee House Bill 448 and Tennessee Senate Bill 27 of the 112th General Assembly, being signed into Public Chapter by the Governor, take effect on July 1st 2023; and

WHEREAS, the new public chapter requires local legislative bodies to allow the Public to speak on issues on the meeting agenda during a commission meeting and allows for a copy of any document utilized by the commission during its meetings to be available to the public; and

WHEREAS, the following changes to Rule 3 and Rule 4 of the Rules of Hickman County Legislative Body are required (See ATTACHMENT 1).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Legislative Body of Hickman County, Tennessee, assembled in regular session this June 26, 2023 that:

Section 1: The following Rules of the Legislative Body of Hickman County are hereby modified to adhere to the change to provide for a time for the Public to speak and a copy of documents to be debated during a commission meeting;

Section 2: These changes are hereby adopted this June 26, 2023 and are immediately effective, the public welfare requiring it.

The packet's Attachment 1 (the marked Rule 3 and Rule 4 text) is not in the OCR extract. Sponsors explained the changes on the floor as narrowly targeted to comply with the new law:

Added a required public-comment period.
The chair may specify operational details such as time and speaker handling.
Public comment will function like a public hearing: speakers may address the body, but commissioners will not respond or debate.
The public may speak only on issues appearing on that meeting's agenda.
No speaker may exceed 5 minutes.
The entire public-comment period may not exceed 30 minutes.
The chair must make agenda copies available to attendees at the meeting.
Meeting materials would be available electronically on the county website before the meeting, and paper copies would be provided upon request.

Sponsors said the rules were written to be specific enough to comply now, while allowing later adjustment if the process proved unworkable. Paper copies would be free for now. The adopted text did not yet include a sign-up cutoff time for speakers; the chair described an in-person sign-up sheet as the initial plan.

Sponsors: Wayne Thomasson, District 3; Keith Nash, District 4

Motion: Wayne Thomasson, seconded by Keith Nash.

Commission action: 13 Aye, 0 Nay, 1 Absent — Adopted.

Yes: Claude Callicott, Matthew Barnhill, Clay Chessor, Danny Clark, Todd Collins, Steve Gianakos, Dusty Jordan, Ron Mayberry, Wylie McNair, Carla Moore, Ricky Murray, Keith Nash, Wayne Thomasson.

Absent: Devin Pickard.