RELATING TO OPEN MEETINGS.

HB 494 repeals the Legislature's exemption from the State's open meetings law, meaning legislative sessions and committee meetings would no longer be allowed to be held in private. This change directly affects state legislators and their committees, requiring them to conduct all meetings publicly unless specific legal exceptions apply. The key mechanism is removing the existing exception that permitted closed sessions, thereby applying the standard open meetings requirements to all legislative proceedings. This bill aims to increase transparency in how state lawmakers conduct official business.