Committee hears proposal to let staff serve as anchor location for hybrid public meetings

At a hybrid meeting of the Delaware Senate Executive Committee, Chair Sikola introduced House Bill 339, a bill to amend Title 29 of the Delaware Code to permit a staff member of a public body to serve as the required physical presence at an anchor location for hybrid public meetings.

"Most of the time that person has to wait another month because professional members already have…patients scheduled and they're not able to quickly rearrange their schedules," said Shawna Slaughter, Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, who testified in support. She and other witnesses said hybrid meetings are often short, that staff already run the meetings and that allowing staff to serve as an anchor would reduce canceled meetings and delays in licensure decisions.

Joseph Dawson, chair of the Delaware Human and Civil Rights Commission (virtual), also endorsed the change, saying a state employee can provide secure wired internet and consistency: "State employee to be the anchor and that is an absolutely brilliant idea," he said. He and Slaughter said the change is optional for boards and intended to modernize public access and reduce administrative delays.

The committee did not record a formal vote on HB 339 during this session. Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the hearing; the matter will remain on the committee's docket for future action if members seek to advance the bill.