Videotaping Public Meetings Back to Menu Of Solutions

Establish a policy that encourages citizen participation and protects citizens right to videotape public meetings

In 2007, the New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed the rights of citizens and the press to video record public meetings, with the exception that governing bodies may adopt “reasonable rules” to prevent disruptions. Videotaping public meetings aids the press and local citizens in staying accurately informed about their local politics, which is an important component to a healthy democracy. The governing body, however, has a legitimate interest in running an efficient meeting with limited disruption in order to offer the best service possible to the community. Our model ordinance for municipal adoption and model resolution for school board adoption guarantees a citizen’s right to video record a public meeting while providing “reasonable guidelines” to prevent disruptions.

Use these materials to advance this solution in your city:

MODEL ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH REASONABLE RULES FOR VIDEO RECORDING OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council are committed to open government and ensuring that the public is fully informed on the actions of their elected officials; and 

WHEREAS, citizens of a democracy are best served when public meetings are open and when decision making is transparent; and 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A 10:4-6, the public has a right to be present at meetings of public bodies empowered as a voting body or public fund-spending body to perform a public governmental function; and

 WHEREAS, in Tarus v. Pine Hill, 189 N.J. 497 (2007), the New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed the common law right of individuals to videotape municipal council meetings with reasonable restrictions; and 

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council deem it necessary to establish reasonable restrictions to accommodate citizens and members of the media who wish to video record public meetings; and 

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY the Mayor and Council of the (Municipality), (County) , State of New Jersey that any member of the public is entitled to make a video recording of any municipal meeting open to the public pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, subject to reasonable restrictions laid out herein: 

1. Any individual shall be permitted to record by camera or other recording device, a public meeting without prior written notice. 

2. All video recording shall be performed in a manner that is not unreasonably obtrusive or disruptive of the proceedings or in violation of any federal or state law or any law or regulation governing the safety of persons or property. 

3. The equipment utilized should operate silently, and while cell phone video recording is permitted, cell phones with video recording capability shall be silent. 

4. Absent prior approval from the clerk, no additional artificial lighting shall be permitted. 

5. Stationary equipment, once positioned, shall not be moved during the public meeting 

6. The Mayor, or individual presiding at a public meeting, shall have the authority to require disruptive video recording operators to either turn off the recording device or otherwise have the recording device removed from the meeting room. 

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Municipal Clerk shall forward a copy of this ordinance to all chairs of municipal boards, commissions, or other municipal instrumentalities that are subject to the Open Public Meeting Act, and make a copy of this ordinance available to anyone desiring to video tape any future meetings so that they can comply with the requirements set forth herein.

MODEL RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH REASONABLE RULES FOR VIDEO RECORDING OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

WHEREAS, the (School Board) is committed to open government and ensuring that the public is fully informed on the actions of their elected officials; and 

WHEREAS, citizens of a democracy are best served when public meetings are open and when decision making is transparent; and 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A 10:4-6, the public has a right to be present at meetings of public bodies empowered as a voting body or public fund-spending body to perform a public governmental function; and 

WHEREAS, in Tarus v. Pine Hill, 189 N.J. 497 (2007), the New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed the common law right of individuals to videotape public meetings with reasonable restrictions; and 

WHEREAS, the School Board deems it necessary to establish reasonable restrictions to accommodate citizens and members of the media who wish to video record public meetings; and 

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY the (School Board) of the (School District) in the State of New Jersey that any member of the public is entitled to make a video recording of any school board meeting open to the public pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, subject to reasonable restrictions laid out herein: 

1. Any individual shall be permitted to record by camera or other recording device, a public meeting without prior written notice. 

2. All video recording shall be performed in a manner that is not unreasonably obtrusive or disruptive of the proceedings or in violation of any federal or state law or any law or regulation governing the safety of persons or property. 

3. The equipment utilized should operate silently, and while cell phone video recording is permitted, cell phones with video recording capability shall be silent. 

4. Absent prior approval from the board secretary, no additional artificial lighting shall be permitted. 

5. Stationary equipment, once positioned, shall not be moved during the public meeting 

6. The School Board President, or individual presiding at a public meeting, shall have the authority to require disruptive video recording operators to either turn off the recording device or otherwise have the recording device removed from the meeting room. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board Secretary shall make a copy of this resolution available to anyone desiring to video tape any future meetings so that they can comply with the requirements set forth herein.