Bill · S. 4857· Senate(119-S-4857)
Open Meetings Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 6/23/2026
- Last activity
- 6/23/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Mazie Hirono
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Open Meetings Act of 2026 aims to amend documentation requirements for certain meetings. It targets meetings of a conference or council held under chapter 15 of title 28 of the United States Code. Under this bill, the Judicial Conference would be required to publish notices including the date, time, place, and agenda on its website. Additionally, the bill mandates live audio streaming of these meetings to the public for free. The Judicial Conference would also be responsible for maintaining an archive of these audio streams.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+8
The bill mandates public notice, live audio streaming, and archived records for judicial conference meetings.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?+5
The bill increases transparency of judicial council meetings through mandatory notice and audio streaming.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+4
The bill ensures public access to information without requiring registration or fees.
The opposite
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?-2
The bill allows for closed sessions to protect sensitive or confidential matters.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Transparency through Notice: The Judicial Conference must publish the date, time, place, and agenda of a covered meeting on its website at least 30 days in advance (Section 2(b)(1)).
-
Public Access via Live Streaming: Every covered meeting must provide live audio streaming that the public can access without paying a fee or having to register (Section 2(c)(1)).
-
Permanent Records for Public Review: The Judicial Conference is required to maintain an archive of the live audio streams and publish them on its website within 7 days after the meeting (Section 2(c)(2) and (2)(c)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Lack of Notice in Certain Instances: The Judicial Conference has the authority to waive the 30-day notice requirement if there is good cause (Section 2(b)(2)).
-
Closed Sessions for Sensitive Matters: A conference or council can move into a closed session if the law prohibits publication, or if a majority vote determines it is appropriate for sensitive or confidential matters (Section 2(c)(4)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+8Improves Due Process+5Improves Privacy Rights-2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Urban Residents+2
- Education And Technology
- Improves Internet Access+3
- 6/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.