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<chapter num="03" heading="Open Meetings" title_num="30" subtitle_num="01">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Scope.">
    <text>This chapter governs attendance at open sessions of the:</text>
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Emergency Medical Services Board; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Public Attendance.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>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.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>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.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Disruptive Conduct.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>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:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Disrupts the session; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Interferes with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the session.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Action to Restore Order. The presiding officer may:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>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;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Request police assistance to restore order; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Recess the session while order is restored.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Recording, Photographing, Videotaping, and Broadcasting Open Sessions.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>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:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Device does not create excessive noise that interferes with the:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Participation in a session by a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Observation of the session by a member of the public;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Device does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Recording is done openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being recorded.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>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:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Is operated without excessively bright artificial light or excessive noise that interferes with the:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Participation of a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council in the session, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Observation of the session by a member of the public;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Is used openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being photographed or videotaped.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>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:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Is operated without excessively bright artificial light or excessive noise that interferes with the:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Participation of a member of the Emergency Medical Services Board or the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council in the session, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Observation of the session by a member of the public;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Does not otherwise interfere with an individual's observation of or participation in the session; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Is used openly so that it is obvious to those in attendance that the session is being broadcast or televised.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>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.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" heading="Recordings Not Part of the Record.">
    <text>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.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".06" heading="Advanced Registration Required.">
    <text>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.</text>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">State Government Article, §10-507(b), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: December 15, 1999 (26:24 Md. R. 1859)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>