HF 2882

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/14/2012 11:42am

A bill for an act
relating to local government; authorizing certain counties to publish the
proceedings of the county board on the county's Web site; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2010, section 375.12.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 375.12, is amended to read:

375.12 PROCEEDINGS IN QUALIFIED PAPER WITHIN 30 DAYS; LET
BY BID.

Subdivision 1.

Summary; in daily deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin , new text end weekly new text begin , or Web site new text end .

The county board shall
have the official proceedings of its sessions published new text begin as described in subdivision 1a or
1b. If the county board determines that publication of a summary of the proceedings
would adequately inform the public of the substance of the proceedings, the county board
may direct that only a summary be published, conforming to the requirements of section
331A.01, subdivision 10.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin Counties with a population that does not exceed 600,000. new text end

new text begin For
counties whose population does not exceed 600,000, the county board shall have the
official proceedings of its sessions, or a summary of its proceedings as authorized under
subdivision 1, published new text end in a qualified newspaper of general circulation in the county. The
publication shall be let annually by contract to the lowest bidder, at the first regular session
of the board in January each year. deleted text begin If the county board determines that publication of a
summary of the proceedings would adequately inform the public of the substance of the
proceedings, the county board may direct that only a summary be published, conforming
to the requirements of section 331A.01, subdivision 10. In each county whose population
exceeds 600,000, the proceedings shall be published in a daily newspaper. deleted text end The board may
reject any offer if, in its judgment, the public interests require, and may then designate a
newspaper without regard to any rejected offer. In any county whose population exceeds
50,000, and is less than 250,000, the proceedings may be published in one daily and one
weekly newspaper at the county seat. If the official newspaper of the county ceases to
exist for any reason except consolidation with another newspaper, the county board may
designate another newspaper for the remainder of the year. The publication shall occur
within 30 days of the meeting to which the proceedings relate.

new text begin Subd. 1b. new text end

new text begin Counties with a population exceeding 600,000. new text end

new text begin For counties whose
population exceeds 600,000, the county board shall have the official proceedings of its
sessions, or a summary of its proceedings as authorized under subdivision 1, published
in either:
new text end

new text begin (1) a daily qualified newspaper of general circulation in the county in compliance
with subdivision 1a; or
new text end

new text begin (2) on the county's Web site if the following conditions are met:
new text end

new text begin (i) the county's home page displays a link to official proceedings;
new text end

new text begin (ii) minutes of county board proceedings are kept for at least one year on the Web
site; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) official notices remain on the Web site during the notice's full publication period.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Small claims totaled.

Individualized itemized accounts, claims or
demands allowed by the county board pursuant to section 471.38, subdivision 1, need not
be published pursuant to subdivision 1, if the amount allowed from each claim is $2,000
or less. The official proceedings following the itemization of accounts required shall
contain a statement showing the total number of claims that did not exceed $2,000 and
their total dollar amount.