Citizen Staff Writer
Our Opinion
You’ll have to stay on your toes to know what the Legislature is doing.
The state House has killed a rule that required early notice for meetings in which a legislative committee works out the final version of a bill.
The rule required meetings to be held after noon unless notice of the meeting was posted the day before.
That was required in 2001 after lawmakers the year before rushed through a little-studied subsidy for alternative-fuel vehicles that turned out to be far more costly than had been expected.
But this week, majority Republicans said that much notice is not required if lawmakers pay attention.
Democrats opposed the change, calling it important protection for lawmakers and for the public. And they said there should be even longer notice and greater transparency for bill amendments that are considered.
We agree. Legislators should make it easier, not more difficult, for the public to know what they are up to. This week’s change did the opposite.