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S.B. 136 Enrolled

             1     

OPEN AND PUBLIC MEETINGS REVISIONS

             2     
RELATED TO REVIEW OF ETHICS

             3     
COMPLAINTS

             4     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: John L. Valentine

             7     
House Sponsor: David Litvack

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill modifies provisions of the Open and Public Meetings Act.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    authorizes the Independent Legislative Ethics Commission to convene a closed
             15      meeting without first commencing an open meeting and voting to close the meeting
             16      if:
             17              .    the purpose of the meeting is to conduct business relating to the receipt or
             18      review of an ethics complaint; and
             19              .    it provides advance public notice of the closed meeting;
             20          .    provides that an ethics committee of the Legislature may close a meeting by a
             21      majority vote of the members present if the committee is meeting for the purpose of
             22      reviewing an ethics complaint and the meeting is closed for the purpose of:
             23              .    conducting deliberations to reach a decision on an ethics complaint; or
             24              .    seeking legal advice on legal, evidentiary, or procedural matters; and
             25          .    makes technical changes.
             26      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          None
             28      Other Special Clauses:
             29          This bill provides an immediate effective date.


             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32          52-4-204, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 263 and renumbered and
             33      amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 14
             34          52-4-205, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 14
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 52-4-204 is amended to read:
             38           52-4-204. Closed meeting held upon vote of members -- Business -- Reasons for
             39      meeting recorded.
             40          (1) A closed meeting may be held if:
             41          (a) [if] (i) a quorum is present; [and]
             42          (ii) the meeting is an open meeting for which notice has been given under Section
             43      52-4-202 ; and
             44          [(b) if] (iii) (A) two-thirds of the members of the public body present at [an] the open
             45      meeting [for which notice is given under Section 52-4-202 ] vote to approve closing the
             46      meeting[.]; or
             47          (B) for an ethics committee of the Legislature that is conducting an open meeting for
             48      the purpose of reviewing an ethics complaint, a majority of the members present vote to
             49      approve closing the meeting for the purpose of seeking or obtaining legal advice on legal,
             50      evidentiary, or procedural matters, or for conducting deliberations to reach a decision on the
             51      complaint; or
             52          (b) for the Independent Legislative Ethics Commission, the closed meeting is
             53      convened for the purpose of conducting business relating to the receipt or review of an ethics
             54      complaint, provided that public notice of the closed meeting is given under Section 52-4-202 ,
             55      with the agenda for the meeting stating that the meeting will be closed for the purpose of
             56      "conducting business relating to the receipt or review of ethics complaints".
             57          (2) A closed meeting is not allowed unless each matter discussed in the closed meeting


             58      is permitted under Section 52-4-205 .
             59          (3) An ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, contract, or appointment may not be
             60      approved at a closed meeting.
             61          (4) The following information shall be publicly announced and entered on the minutes
             62      of the open meeting at which the closed meeting was approved:
             63          (a) the reason or reasons for holding the closed meeting;
             64          (b) the location where the closed meeting will be held; and
             65          (c) the vote by name, of each member of the public body, either for or against the
             66      motion to hold the closed meeting.
             67          (5) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any meeting to be closed to
             68      the public.
             69          Section 2. Section 52-4-205 is amended to read:
             70           52-4-205. Purposes of closed meetings.
             71          (1) A closed meeting described under Section 52-4-204 may only be held for:
             72          (a) discussion of the character, professional competence, or physical or mental health
             73      of an individual;
             74          (b) strategy sessions to discuss collective bargaining;
             75          (c) strategy sessions to discuss pending or reasonably imminent litigation;
             76          (d) strategy sessions to discuss the purchase, exchange, or lease of real property if
             77      public discussion of the transaction would:
             78          (i) disclose the appraisal or estimated value of the property under consideration; or
             79          (ii) prevent the public body from completing the transaction on the best possible
             80      terms;
             81          (e) strategy sessions to discuss the sale of real property if:
             82          (i) public discussion of the transaction would:
             83          (A) disclose the appraisal or estimated value of the property under consideration; or
             84          (B) prevent the public body from completing the transaction on the best possible
             85      terms;


             86          (ii) the public body previously gave public notice that the property would be offered
             87      for sale; and
             88          (iii) the terms of the sale are publicly disclosed before the public body approves the
             89      sale;
             90          (f) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel, devices, or systems;
             91          (g) investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct; [and]
             92          (h) as relates to the Independent Legislative Ethics Commission, conducting business
             93      relating to the receipt or review of ethics complaints;
             94          (i) as relates to an ethics committee of the Legislature, a purpose permitted under
             95      Subsection 52-4-204 (1)(a)(iii)(B); and
             96          [(h) discussion by] (j) as relates to a county legislative body [of], discussing
             97      commercial information as defined in Section 59-1-404 .
             98          (2) A public body may not interview a person applying to fill an elected position in a
             99      closed meeting.
             100          Section 3. Effective date.
             101          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             102      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             103      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             104      the date of veto override.


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