Minnesota Session Laws - 2009, Regular Session

CHAPTER 80--S.F.No. 764

An act

relating to state government; allowing state agencies to conduct meetings by telephone or by 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.015] MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Application. new text end

new text begin This section applies to: new text end

new text begin (1) a state agency, board, commission, or department, and a statewide public pension plan defined in section 356A.01, subdivision 24; and new text end

new text begin (2) a committee, subcommittee, board, department, or commission of an entity listed in clause (1). new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Conditions. new text end

new text begin An entity listed in subdivision 1 may conduct a meeting governed by this section and section 13D.01, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, and 5, by telephone or other electronic means so long as the following conditions are met: new text end

new text begin (1) all members of the entity 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 entity can hear all discussion and all votes of members of the entity and participate in testimony; new text end

new text begin (3) at least one member of the entity 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 Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Quorum; participation. new text end

new text begin Each member of the entity 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 Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Monitoring from remote site; costs. new text end

new text begin If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct a meeting, the entity, to the extent practical, shall allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a remote location. The entity may require the person making a connection to pay for documented marginal costs that the entity incurs as a result of the additional connection. new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Notice. new text end

new text begin If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct a regular, special, or emergency meeting, the entity shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, of the fact that some members may participate by electronic means, and of the provisions of subdivision 4. The timing and method of providing notice is governed by section 13D.04. In addition, the entity must post the notice on its Web site at least ten days before the meeting. new text end

Presented to the governor May 12, 2009

Signed by the governor May 15, 2009, 10:59 a.m.