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Senate Study Bill 1114 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the definition of meeting and public notice
2requirements under the open meetings law.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 21.2, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
2to read as follows:
32. “Meeting” means a gathering in person or by electronic
4means, formal or informal, of a majority of the members of
5a governmental body where there is deliberation or action
6upon any matter within the scope of the governmental body’s
7policy-making or budgetary duties. Meetings shall not include
8a gathering of members of a governmental body for purely
9ministerial or social purposes when there is no discussion of
10policy or budgetary duties or no intent to avoid the purposes
11of this chapter.
12 Sec. 2. Section 21.4, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2021,
13is amended to read as follows:
14a. Except as provided in subsection 3, a governmental body
15shall give notice of the time, date, and place of each meeting
16including a reconvened meeting of the governmental body, and
17the tentative agenda of the meeting, in a manner reasonably
18calculated to apprise the public of that information.
19Reasonable notice shall include advising the news media
20 any person who have has filed a request for notice with the
21governmental body and posting the notice on a bulletin board or
22other prominent place which is easily accessible to the public
23and clearly designated for that purpose at the principal office
24of the body holding the meeting, or if no such office exists,
25at the building in which the meeting is to be held.
26 Sec. 3. Section 21.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2021,
27is amended to read as follows:
28a. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “c”, notice
29conforming with all of the requirements of subsection 1 shall
30be given at least twenty-four hours prior to the commencement
31of any meeting of a governmental body, excluding weekend days
32and paid holidays as specified in section 1C.2, unless for good
33cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case
34as much notice as is reasonably possible shall be given.
35EXPLANATION
-1-1The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
2the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
3This bill relates to the definition of meeting and public
4notice requirements under the open meetings law (Code chapter
521).
6The bill amends the definition of a meeting that is subject
7to the requirements of the open meetings law by expanding the
8definition to include any deliberations or actions (including
9recommendations) taken by a governmental body as defined in
10the open meetings law, that are within a governmental body’s
11budgetary duties.
12The bill provides that reasonable notice of a meeting shall
13include providing notice to any person, and not just the news
14media, if the person has filed a request for notice.
15The bill also excludes weekend days and paid holidays as
16specified in Code section 1C.2 when determining the 24-hour
17time period for purposes of public notice under the open
18meetings law.
-2-cm/rh
2requirements under the open meetings law.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 21.2, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
2to read as follows:
32. “Meeting” means a gathering in person or by electronic
4means, formal or informal, of a majority of the members of
5a governmental body where there is deliberation or action
6upon any matter within the scope of the governmental body’s
7policy-making or budgetary duties. Meetings shall not include
8a gathering of members of a governmental body for purely
9ministerial or social purposes when there is no discussion of
10policy or budgetary duties or no intent to avoid the purposes
11of this chapter.
12 Sec. 2. Section 21.4, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2021,
13is amended to read as follows:
14a. Except as provided in subsection 3, a governmental body
15shall give notice of the time, date, and place of each meeting
16including a reconvened meeting of the governmental body, and
17the tentative agenda of the meeting, in a manner reasonably
18calculated to apprise the public of that information.
19Reasonable notice shall include advising the news media
20 any person who have has filed a request for notice with the
21governmental body and posting the notice on a bulletin board or
22other prominent place which is easily accessible to the public
23and clearly designated for that purpose at the principal office
24of the body holding the meeting, or if no such office exists,
25at the building in which the meeting is to be held.
26 Sec. 3. Section 21.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2021,
27is amended to read as follows:
28a. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “c”, notice
29conforming with all of the requirements of subsection 1 shall
30be given at least twenty-four hours prior to the commencement
31of any meeting of a governmental body, excluding weekend days
32and paid holidays as specified in section 1C.2, unless for good
33cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case
34as much notice as is reasonably possible shall be given.
35EXPLANATION
-1-1The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
2the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
3This bill relates to the definition of meeting and public
4notice requirements under the open meetings law (Code chapter
521).
6The bill amends the definition of a meeting that is subject
7to the requirements of the open meetings law by expanding the
8definition to include any deliberations or actions (including
9recommendations) taken by a governmental body as defined in
10the open meetings law, that are within a governmental body’s
11budgetary duties.
12The bill provides that reasonable notice of a meeting shall
13include providing notice to any person, and not just the news
14media, if the person has filed a request for notice.
15The bill also excludes weekend days and paid holidays as
16specified in Code section 1C.2 when determining the 24-hour
17time period for purposes of public notice under the open
18meetings law.
-2-cm/rh