House File 372 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 59) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to meetings of governmental bodies. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1279HV 81 4 rh/sh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 21.2, subsection 2, Code 2005, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 2. "Meeting" means a gathering in person or by electronic 1 4 means, formal or informal, of a majority of the members of a 1 5 governmental body where there is deliberation or action upon 1 6 any matter within the scope of the governmental body's policy= 1 7 making duties. A meeting includes a series of gatherings of 1 8 members who constitute less than a majority of the members at 1 9 each gathering, but who collectively constitute a majority of 1 10 the members, where the series of gatherings includes 1 11 deliberation or action upon any matter within the scope of the 1 12 governmental body's policy=making duties.MeetingsA meeting 1 13 shall not include a gathering of members of a governmental 1 14 body for purely ministerial or social purposes when there is 1 15 no discussion of policy or no intent to avoid the purposes of 1 16 this chapter. 1 17 EXPLANATION 1 18 This bill expands the definition of a meeting under the 1 19 open meetings law to include serial gatherings of members of a 1 20 governmental body who constitute less than a majority of the 1 21 members at each gathering, but who collectively constitute a 1 22 majority of the members, where the series of gatherings 1 23 includes deliberation or action upon any matter within the 1 24 scope of the governmental body's policy=making duties. 1 25 Currently, a majority of the members of a governmental body 1 26 who attend a gathering and deliberate or take action upon any 1 27 matter within the scope of the governmental body's policy= 1 28 making duties are subject to the requirements of Iowa's open 1 29 meetings law, which requires advance public notice and public 1 30 access. 1 31 LSB 1279HV 81 1 32 rh:nh/sh/8