Former Student Association Senate Speaker Michael LaPidus confirmed on Monday the authenticity of the 1998 SA bill to amend the bylaws to make the SA subject to the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

LaPidus, co-author of the bill, said his original intention was to make the entire SA subject to the act.

“There had always been controversy on whether the [SA Senate] was subject to the Illinois Open Meetings Act,” LaPidus said.

LaPidus decided, as speaker, he wanted to clear it up for future Student Associations and senates.

The current SA administration still doubts the validity of the document.

Brooke Robinson, SA director of public affairs, said the official position of the SA is that if the document is valid, then the SA will adhere to the bylaw.

LaPidus pointed out that the bylaw only applies to the SA and not any student organizations under the SA.

“When we disperse public funds, we should act under the Open Meetings Act,” LaPidus said.

However, an SA committee would be subject to the act under this amendment, LaPidus said.

“If that committee’s purpose was to disperse public funds, it would be subject to the Open Meetings Act,” Lapidus said.

In January, SA Sen. Jeff Meyer challenged the SA’s Big Time Entertainment committee vote on allocating funds in a meeting via e-mail. The BTE approved the allocation of $10,000 to the Convocation Center for the February Ja Rule concert. In a briefing to the SA Supreme Court, Meyer said the process violated the Open Meetings Act.

Meyer also said the senate failed to post an agenda 48 hours prior to a meeting to approve the formation of the BTE. Posting of agendas before meetings is required by the Open Meetings Act.

The BTE committee was suspended by SA President Kevin Miller on Feb. 16 and has yet to be reinstated.