After a 3-2 vote on Tuesday by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, people will no longer be able to broadcast videos, audio and images during public comment at future supervisor meetings.
The change comes a month after multiple community members used public comment to protest the board’s Pride Month declaration. The commenters showed videos of nudity and pictures of what they described as children undergoing gender reassignment surgery.
Supervisor Bruce Gibson said the rule change was necessary to limit the threat of obscene speech and images at board meetings.
“It may be rare but I do believe it has to be mitigated,” Gibson said.
Some public commenters on Tuesday protested the rule change, arguing that it would limit free speech. But, board members said they had an obligation to protect the orderly conduct and community standards of their meetings.