Committee members concurred in providing flexibility in open meeting requirements.

 

On an 8-0 vote, House State Affairs passed Senate Bill 91, which revises open meeting requirements, and placed it on consent on the Senate floor agenda, all but ensuring it will reach Gov. Kristi Noem’s desk.

 

ASBSD supports the bill, which amends the public comment period at meetings by putting the period with which it will be offered at the meeting the discretion of the full public body and at a minimum requires the period be offered at regularly scheduled meetings.

 

ASBSD Director of Policy and Legal Services Gerry Kaufman testified in support of the bill during its committee hearing, noting that “school board policy” would determine the public comment period and the Association supports “the entire governing board” having discretion over that determination.

 

In addition, SB 91 permits a public body to simply post a notice of quorum should a majority of the public body’s members be set to attend a nongovernmental entity event where public policy will be discussed, but the public body does not control the agenda.

 

“These statutes needed to be clarified and re-written,” Rep. Tim Reed, a sponsor of the bill, said. “This really clears it up.”

 

For updates on this bill and other legislation throughout session, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page and Bill Tracker.