Chapter 03. Open Meetings
Regulation .01 Scope.LinkCopy Citation
This chapter governs attendance at open sessions of the:
A.
Emergency Medical Services Board; and
B.
Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.
Regulation .02 Public Attendance.LinkCopy Citation
A.
The general public is invited to attend and observe any open session of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.
B.
A member of the public attending an open session may only participate in the session if the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council expressly invites public testimony, questions, comments, or other forms of public participation, or when public participation is otherwise authorized by law.
Regulation .03 Disruptive Conduct.LinkCopy Citation
A.
An individual attending an open session of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council may not engage in any conduct, including visual demonstrations such as the waiving of placards, signs, or banners, that:
(1)
Disrupts the session; or
(2)
Interferes with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the session.
B.
Action to Restore Order. The presiding officer may:
(1)
Order an individual who engages in conduct prohibited by §A of this regulation, or who violates any other regulation concerning the conduct of an open session, removed from the session;
(2)
Request police assistance to restore order; and
(3)
Recess the session while order is restored.
Regulation .04 Recording, Photographing, Videotaping, and Broadcasting Open Sessions.LinkCopy Citation
A.
A member of the public, including a representative of the news media, may record an open session of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council by means of a tape recorder or another recording device if the:
(1)
Device does not create excessive noise that interferes with the:
(a)
Participation in a session by a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, or
(b)
Observation of the session by a member of the public;
(2)
Device does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and
(3)
Recording is done openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being recorded.
B.
A member of the public, including a representative of the news media, may photograph or videotape the proceedings of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council at an open session by means of any type of camera if the camera:
(1)
Is operated without excessively bright artificial light or excessive noise that interferes with the:
(a)
Participation of a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council in the session, or
(b)
Observation of the session by a member of the public;
(2)
Does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and
(3)
Is used openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being photographed or videotaped.
C.
A representative of the news media may broadcast or televise the proceedings of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council at an open session if the equipment used:
(1)
Is operated without excessively bright artificial light or excessive noise that interferes with the:
(a)
Participation of a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council in the session, or
(b)
Observation of the session by a member of the public;
(2)
Does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and
(3)
Is used openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being broadcast or televised.
D.
The presiding officer may restrict the movement of an individual who is using a recording device, camera, or broadcasting or televising equipment if the restriction is necessary to maintain the orderly conduct of the session.
Regulation .05 Recordings Not Part of the Record.LinkCopy Citation
A recording of an open session made by a member of the public or any other transcript derived from a recording is not a part of the record of any proceeding of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.
Regulation .06 Advanced Registration Required.LinkCopy Citation
An individual who intends to record, photograph, videotape, broadcast, or televise the proceedings of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council at an open session shall notify the Executive Director of MIEMSS of that intention in writing at least 24 hours before the beginning of the session.
Chapter annotations
Authority: State Government Article, §10-507(b), Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date: December 15, 1999 (26:24 Md. R. 1859)