The gist
At a Dec. 17 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved ratifying the policy for public comment at City Council, board and commissions meetings by adding a list of prohibited actions classified as disruptions and actions to be taken to address disruptions.
The longstanding policy allows speakers to sign up to address actionable agenda items for up to three minutes during the public comment period at the beginning of each meeting, Deputy City Manager Jennifer May said.
A closer look
According to agenda documents, examples of disruptive behavior includes:
- Failure to comply with time allotments, including purposeful delay
- Comments unrelated to action items on the agenda or comments unrelated to the items the speaker signed up for
- Holding signs that endanger others and/or obstructs free flow or view of others
- Talking out of turn or verbal utterances in the audience
- Failure to silence cellphones or talking on the phone
- Outbursts from the public
- Failure to follow direction of meeting chair or security officials
The policy also adds formal actions to be taken by the meeting chair in case of disruption, May said. Ahead of any actions, chairs may issue a verbal warning before the individual is asked to leave or will be escorted out.
If individuals are removed from a meeting for a disruption, they will be prohibited from attending any in-person public meetings for 60 calendar days, she said. If the individual violates the policy within 90 days of the first violation period, the chair may impose additional consequences, including:
- Second disruption: 90-day restriction
- Third and any subsequent disruption: 180-day restriction
What else?
Individuals who are barred from in-person attendance due to disruption may submit a written appeal to the city manager within five business days of the disruption, May said. The city manager will have five business days to respond upon receipt.
Going forward
With approval, the policy is now in effect immediately, May said.
