LAW 495 - Government Ethics for Local Officials

The course will examine the parameters within which public participation in the local government process can and should be permitted, required, and properly managed. Obviously, this implicates First Amendment issues as well as ethical issues, and the course will explore legal precedent that builds the walls within which public participation by both officials and citizens can be regulated. Beyond that though, this course will encourage discussion on whether such regulations are productive, and whether different circumstances require different degrees of constraint. Another aspect to explore is the need to maintain decorum at public meetings in order to allow the conduct of business to occur in a reasonable and professional manner. The course can also look at the different standards for certain ethical considerations that apply at varying levels of government, and again encourage discussion and debate on the value of these standards. This area would focus more on the decision makers than the public in general and look at public meeting requirements, ex-parte communications, voting conflicts, anti-SLAPP lawsuits, and even political campaign signs. Finally, the course can venture into how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape when it comes to local government meetings, establishing a quorum, and ensuring public access and participation. Although the pandemic has passed, there is an expectation for the ability to offer virtual meetings.