Letter to GAE Committee: Public Hearings Must be for the Public
It is has become increasingly apparent over the recent years that the rules for public hearings need to be changed. The rule that gives precedence to legislators and state officials with unlimited time to speak is no longer acceptable. Expecting citizens to wait for long hours without any consideration of their work and family commitments has to stop. We recommend a set of rules with no special considerations for anyone. These rules would be equitable to any person who cares deeply enough about the proposed legislation to sign up to speak in person.