JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Legislation was filed on Tuesday to change the way City Council members can use their cellphones during public council meetings.
The move stems from an Action News Jax investigation that revealed the head of the firefighter's union was texting council members and ultimately reversed a recent vote.
The legislation would prohibit council members from responding to text messages sent from certain people during council meetings.
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That list of prohibited names includes texts from lobbyists. It would also require members to disclose any communications they receive during the meeting on issues that council votes on.
Our investigation last month revealed a vote involving firefighter money was overturned.
Council members first voted to keep $300,000 in the drainage budget. But 45 minutes later, after several texts were exchanged between the firefighter's union head and several council members, the vote was reversed.
One of those texts from Randy Wyse, the head of the firefighters' union, said "3 of the nose (no's) have already said they would support it" and "all I need is 2 to flip."
This still has to be approved by council. It will be brought up at next week's meeting.
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