A state representative says he's drafting a bill that would require government boards that go into closed session to record the proceedings and have them reviewed by a prosecutor to ensure they didn't discuss matters that should have been public.
Republican Rep. Nate Bell of Mena mentioned his bill at the end of a hearing Wednesday on expanding Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act. Bell said a prosecutor, or his or her designate, would have to get the recordings within 30 days and that if a portion of the meeting should have been held in public, that segment of the recording would have to be immediately released to the public.
The hearing before the State Agencies Committee mainly focused on ways the public can learn more about spending in state contracts.
