Open Meetings Act of 2026

This bill would require public notice and live audio streaming for meetings of federal judicial conferences and councils set up under chapter 15 of title 28 of the U.S. Code. The Judicial Conference would have to post the date, time, place, and agenda of each meeting on its website at least 30 days in advance, unless it waives this for good cause and posts an explanation. Each meeting would have to be streamed live in audio, free and without registration, and the recording would have to be posted online within 7 days. A conference or council would have to close a session when the law prohibits publishing the matter, could close a session by majority vote for sensitive or confidential matters, and would have to state its reason before closing.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. Democrat sponsor
• 10 cosponsors