Tarrant County changes rules on public comments at meetings

Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare said Tuesday he plans to make changes to the rules governing public comment during commission meetings to maintain decorum.

“Dissent is part of politics. Dissent is one of the freedoms we have in this country,” O’Hare said at the start of the Commissioners Court hearing. “The lack of civility in many places, nationally, locally, here in this courtroom, I’m going to make some changes to the way we do public comment.”

O’Hare said he will begin reviewing courtroom etiquette with audiences before speaking and will require speakers to sign a consent form agreeing to abide by the rules.

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The announcement came after a number of public speakers were thrown out and banned from Commissioners Court meetings.

“This is in no way intended to limit the number of speakers,” O’Hare said. “This is in no way intended to stifle free speech. This is intended to ensure stability in the courtroom because as presiding judge, under the statute, it is my duty to ensure that we maintain decorum.”

O’Hare said that while he can throw someone out for violating the rules of decorum, he cannot issue a trespassing warning. That’s the responsibility of the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.

Two frequent critics received trespassing warnings earlier this month after breaking rules. Former state Rep. Lon Burnam approached O’Hare at the end of the meeting, and Pastor Ryon Price of Broadway Baptist Church spoke after the three-minute time limit for public comment had expired.

More than 20 speakers signed on for public comment, many of them opposing expulsions, bans and the push for tougher rules.