HF 2179

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; authorizing certain
emergency meetings to be conducted by telephone or
other electronic means; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [13D.021] EMERGENCY MEETINGS CONDUCTED BY
TELEPHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS; CONDITIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) A meeting governed by section 13D.01, subdivisions 1,
2, 4, and 5, and this section and called for the purposes of
declaring a local emergency under section 12.29 or responding to
a local emergency under section 12.37, may be conducted by
telephone or other electronic means so long as:
new text end

new text begin (1) all members of the body participating in the meeting,
wherever their physical location, can hear one another and can
hear all discussion and testimony;
new text end

new text begin (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting
location of the body participating in the meeting can hear all
discussion and testimony and all votes of members of the body
participating in the meeting;
new text end

new text begin (3) at least one member of the body participating in the
meeting is physically present at the regular meeting location;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's
vote on each issue can be identified and recorded.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each member of the body participating in a meeting by
telephone or other electronic means is considered present at the
meeting for purposes of determining a quorum and participating
in all proceedings.
new text end

new text begin (c) If telephone or other electronic means is used to
conduct a meeting, the body participating in the meeting, to the
extent practical, must allow a person to monitor the meeting
electronically from a remote location. The body participating
in the meeting may require the person making a connection under
this paragraph to pay for documented marginal costs that the
body participating in the meeting incurs as a result of the
additional connection.
new text end

new text begin (d) If telephone or other electronic means is used to
conduct an emergency meeting, the body participating in the
meeting must provide notice of the meeting location, of the fact
that some members may participate by telephone or other
electronic means, and of the provisions of paragraph (c) to the
extent practical.
new text end