Bill Text: MN SF2401 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: County boards publication of proceedings on Web site authority

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-12 - Referred to Local Government and Elections [SF2401 Detail]

Download: Minnesota-2011-SF2401-Introduced.html

1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to local government; authorizing certain counties to publish the
1.3proceedings of the county board on the county's Web site;amending Minnesota
1.4Statutes 2010, section 375.12.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 375.12, is amended to read:
1.7375.12 PROCEEDINGS IN QUALIFIED PAPER WITHIN 30 DAYS; LET
1.8BY BID.
1.9    Subdivision 1. Summary; in daily or, weekly, or Web site. The county board shall
1.10have the official proceedings of its sessions published as described in subdivision 1a or
1.111b. If the county board determines that publication of a summary of the proceedings
1.12would adequately inform the public of the substance of the proceedings, the county board
1.13may direct that only a summary be published, conforming to the requirements of section
1.14331A.01, subdivision 10.
1.15    Subd. 1a. Counties with a population that does not exceed 600,000. For
1.16counties whose population does not exceed 600,000, the county board shall have the
1.17official proceedings of its sessions, or a summary of its proceedings as authorized under
1.18subdivision 1, published in a qualified newspaper of general circulation in the county. The
1.19publication shall be let annually by contract to the lowest bidder, at the first regular session
1.20of the board in January each year. If the county board determines that publication of a
1.21summary of the proceedings would adequately inform the public of the substance of the
1.22proceedings, the county board may direct that only a summary be published, conforming
1.23to the requirements of section 331A.01, subdivision 10. In each county whose population
1.24exceeds 600,000, the proceedings shall be published in a daily newspaper. The board may
2.1reject any offer if, in its judgment, the public interests require, and may then designate a
2.2newspaper without regard to any rejected offer. In any county whose population exceeds
2.350,000, and is less than 250,000, the proceedings may be published in one daily and one
2.4weekly newspaper at the county seat. If the official newspaper of the county ceases to
2.5exist for any reason except consolidation with another newspaper, the county board may
2.6designate another newspaper for the remainder of the year. The publication shall occur
2.7within 30 days of the meeting to which the proceedings relate.
2.8    Subd. 1b. Counties with a population exceeding 600,000. For counties whose
2.9population exceeds 600,000, the county board shall have the official proceedings of its
2.10sessions, or a summary of its proceedings as authorized under subdivision 1, published
2.11in either:
2.12(1) a daily qualified newspaper of general circulation in the county in compliance
2.13with subdivision 1a; or
2.14(2) on the county's Web site if the following conditions are met:
2.15(i) the county's home page displays a link to official proceedings;
2.16(ii) minutes of county board proceedings are kept for at least one year on the Web
2.17site; and
2.18(iii) official notices remain on the Web site during the notice's full publication period.
2.19    Subd. 2. Small claims totaled. Individualized itemized accounts, claims or
2.20demands allowed by the county board pursuant to section 471.38, subdivision 1, need not
2.21be published pursuant to subdivision 1, if the amount allowed from each claim is $2,000
2.22or less. The official proceedings following the itemization of accounts required shall
2.23contain a statement showing the total number of claims that did not exceed $2,000 and
2.24their total dollar amount.
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