House File 2223 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2223 BY PETTENGILL A BILL FOR An Act relating to public notice and the accessibility of 1 meetings of governmental bodies. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5571YH (3) 86 rh/rj

H.F. 2223 Section 1. Section 21.4, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2016, are 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. a. Except as provided in subsection 3 , a governmental 3 body shall give notice of the time, date, and place of each 4 meeting including a reconvened meeting of the governmental 5 body, and the tentative agenda of the meeting, in a manner 6 reasonably calculated to apprise the public of that 7 information. Reasonable notice shall include advising the news 8 media who have filed a request for notice with the governmental 9 body and posting the notice on a bulletin board or other 10 prominent place which is easily accessible to the public and 11 clearly designated for that purpose at the principal office of 12 the body holding the meeting, or if no such office exists, at 13 the building in which the meeting is to be held. 14 b. Each meeting shall be held at a place reasonably 15 accessible to the public and at a time reasonably convenient 16 to the public, unless for good cause such a place or time is 17 impossible or impracticable. Special access to the meeting may 18 be granted to persons with disabilities. 19 2. a. Notice Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “c” , 20 notice conforming with all of the requirements of subsection 21 1 of this section shall be given at least twenty-four hours 22 prior to the commencement of any meeting of a governmental body 23 unless for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical, 24 in which case as much notice as is reasonably possible shall 25 be given. Each meeting shall be held at a place reasonably 26 accessible to the public, and at a time reasonably convenient 27 to the public, unless for good cause such a place or time is 28 impossible or impractical. Special access to the meeting may 29 be granted to persons with disabilities. 30 b. When it is necessary to hold a meeting on less than 31 twenty-four hours’ notice, or at a place that is not reasonably 32 accessible to the public, or at a time that is not reasonably 33 convenient to the public, the nature of the good cause 34 justifying that departure from the normal requirements shall be 35 -1- LSB 5571YH (3) 86 rh/rj 1/ 2

H.F. 2223 stated in the minutes. 1 c. If a governmental body is prevented from convening an 2 otherwise properly noticed meeting under the requirements of 3 subsection 1 for any reason, the governmental body may convene 4 the meeting if the governmental body posts an amended notice 5 of the meeting conforming with all of the requirements of 6 subsection 1. 7 EXPLANATION 8 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 10 This bill relates to public notice and the accessibility of 11 meetings of governmental bodies. 12 Under Code chapter 21 (Iowa’s open meetings law), a 13 governmental body is required to give reasonable notice of 14 the time, date, and place of each meeting of the governmental 15 body, and the tentative agenda of the meeting at least 24 hours 16 before commencement of the meeting unless for good cause such 17 notice is impossible or impractical. Each meeting shall be 18 held at a place reasonably accessible to the public and at a 19 time reasonably convenient to the public, unless for good cause 20 such a place or time is impossible or impracticable. 21 The bill provides an exception to the 24-hour notice 22 requirement when a governmental body is prevented from 23 convening an otherwise properly noticed meeting for any 24 reason, the governmental body may convene the meeting if the 25 governmental body posts an amended notice of the meeting 26 conforming with the otherwise applicable notice requirements 27 under the open meetings law. 28 -2- LSB 5571YH (3) 86 rh/rj 2/ 2