Bill Text: IA HF259 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to public notice requirements for meetings of a governmental body.(Formerly HSB 75.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 260. [HF259 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-HF259-Introduced.html
House
File
259
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
259
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
STATE
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HSB
75)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
public
notice
requirements
for
meetings
of
a
1
governmental
body.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
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Section
1.
Section
21.4,
subsection
1,
paragraph
a,
Code
1
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
a.
Except
as
provided
in
subsection
3
,
a
governmental
body
3
shall
give
notice
of
the
time,
date,
and
place
of
each
meeting
,
4
including
a
reconvened
meeting
of
the
governmental
body,
and
5
the
tentative
agenda
of
the
meeting,
in
a
manner
reasonably
6
calculated
to
apprise
the
public
of
that
information.
7
Reasonable
8
(1)
Giving
notice
under
this
paragraph
shall
include
9
advising
all
of
the
following:
10
(a)
Advising
the
news
media
who
have
filed
a
request
for
11
notice
with
the
governmental
body
and
posting
.
12
(b)
Posting
the
notice
on
a
bulletin
board
or
other
in
a
13
prominent
and
conspicuous
place
which
is
easily
accessible
14
to
the
public
and
clearly
designated
for
that
purpose
at
the
15
principal
office
of
the
body
holding
the
meeting,
or
if
no
such
16
office
exists,
at
the
building
in
which
the
meeting
is
to
be
17
held
annually
designated
for
such
purposes
by
the
governmental
18
body,
in
a
manner
such
that
the
notice
is
visible
at
all
times
.
19
(c)
Posting
the
notice
on
any
internet
site
owned
or
20
maintained
and
regularly
updated
by
the
governmental
body
or
21
other
internet
presence
moderated
by
the
governmental
body,
if
22
applicable.
23
(2)
If
a
tentative
agenda
has
been
posted
and
is
amended
24
within
the
time
frame
established
in
subsection
2,
paragraph
25
“a”
,
the
governmental
body
shall
mark
the
agenda
“AMENDED”
26
and
identify
the
amended
provisions.
Upon
amendment,
the
27
governmental
body
shall
give
notice
in
accordance
with
28
subparagraph
(1).
29
Sec.
2.
Section
21.4,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
Code
2025,
30
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
31
a.
Except
as
otherwise
provided
in
paragraph
“c”
,
notice
32
conforming
with
all
of
the
requirements
of
subsection
1
shall
33
be
given
at
least
twenty-four
hours
prior
to
the
commencement
34
or
cancellation
of
any
meeting
of
a
governmental
body
unless
35
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for
good
cause
such
notice
is
impossible
or
impractical,
in
1
which
case
as
much
notice
as
is
reasonably
possible
shall
be
2
given.
3
EXPLANATION
4
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
5
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
6
This
bill
relates
to
public
notice
requirements
for
meetings
7
of
a
governmental
body.
The
bill
requires
the
act
of
giving
8
notice
of
a
meeting
of
a
governmental
body
to
include
(1)
9
advising
the
news
media
who
have
filed
a
request
for
notice
10
with
the
governmental
body
as
provided
under
current
law,
(2)
11
posting
the
notice
in
a
prominent
and
conspicuous
place
that
12
is
designated
annually
by
the
governmental
body,
in
a
manner
13
such
that
the
notice
is
visible
at
all
times,
and
(3)
posting
14
the
notice
on
any
associated
internet
site
as
specified
in
the
15
bill.
If
a
tentative
agenda
has
been
posted
and
is
amended,
16
the
amended
agenda
shall
be
marked
“AMENDED”,
the
amended
17
provisions
identified,
and
a
new
notice
provided.
18
The
bill
requires
a
governmental
body
to
provide
notice
if
19
a
meeting
is
canceled.
The
notice
must
be
given
at
least
24
20
hours
prior
to
the
start
of
the
meeting
or,
for
good
cause
21
shown,
as
soon
as
reasonably
possible.
22
By
operation
of
law,
notice
for
electronic
meetings
23
of
governmental
bodies
as
provided
in
Code
section
21.8
24
(electronic
meetings)
shall
comply
with
the
notice
requirements
25
in
Code
section
21.4
(public
notice).
In
addition,
the
bill
26
applies
to
notices
for
public
appointment
and
employment
under
27
Code
section
35C.1
(veterans
preference
——
appointments
and
28
employment
——
applications)
and
notices
for
whole
grade
sharing
29
agreements
under
Code
section
282.11
(procedure
for
whole
grade
30
sharing
agreements).
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