Minnesota Session Laws - 2004, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 195-H.F.No. 2691 
                  An act relating to human services; council on 
                  disability; permitting the council to meet by 
                  telephone or electronic means if certain conditions 
                  are met; amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 
                  256.482, by adding a subdivision. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 256.482, is 
        amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 5b.  [MEETINGS.] (a) Notwithstanding section 13D.01, 
        the Minnesota State Council on Disability may conduct a meeting 
        of its members by telephone or other electronic means so long as 
        the following conditions are met: 
           (1) all members of the council participating in the 
        meeting, wherever their physical location, can hear one another 
        and can hear all discussion and testimony; 
           (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting 
        location of the council can hear all discussion and all votes of 
        members of the council and participate in testimony; 
           (3) at least one member of the council is physically 
        present at the regular meeting location; and 
           (4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's 
        vote on each issue can be identified and recorded. 
           (b) Each member of the council 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. 
           (c) If telephone or another electronic means is used to 
        conduct a meeting, the council, to the extent practical, shall 
        allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a 
        remote location.  The council may require the person making such 
        a connection to pay for documented marginal costs that the 
        council incurs as a result of the additional connection. 
           (d) If telephone or another electronic means is used to 
        conduct a regular, special, or emergency meeting, the council 
        shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, of the 
        fact that some members may participate by electronic means, and 
        of the provisions of paragraph (c).  The timing and method of 
        providing notice is governed by section 13D.04. 
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2004. 
           Presented to the governor May 13, 2004 
           Signed by the governor May 15, 2004, 11:15 p.m.