1     
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS REQUIREMENTS

2     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Craig Hall

5     
Senate Sponsor: Deidre M. Henderson

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill establishes meeting location requirements for local school boards.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     requires a local school board to hold the local school board's public meetings within
13     the geographic boundary of the local school board's school district;
14          ▸     provides an exception for:
15               •     a meeting held during a disaster or local emergency; or
16               •     a meeting held during a site visit; and
17          ▸     makes technical changes.
18     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19          None
20     Other Special Clauses:
21          None
22     Utah Code Sections Affected:
23     AMENDS:
24          53A-3-106, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 107
25     

26     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27          Section 1. Section 53A-3-106 is amended to read:
28          53A-3-106. Local school board meetings -- Rules of order and procedure --
29     Location requirements.

30          [(1) As used in this section, "rules of order and procedure" means a set of rules that
31     govern and prescribe in a public meeting:]
32          [(a) parliamentary order and procedure;]
33          [(b) ethical behavior; and]
34          [(c) civil discourse.]
35          (1) As used in this section:
36          (a) "Disaster" means an event that:
37          (i) causes, or threatens to cause, loss of life, human suffering, public or private property
38     damage, or economic or social disruption resulting from attack, internal disturbance, natural
39     phenomenon, or technological hazard; and
40          (ii) requires resources that are beyond the scope of local agencies in routine responses
41     to emergencies and accidents and may be of a magnitude or involve unusual circumstances that
42     require a response by a governmental, not-for-profit, or private entity.
43          (b) "Local emergency" means a condition in any municipality or county of the state that
44     requires that emergency assistance be provided by the affected municipality or county or
45     another political subdivision to save lives and protect property within its jurisdiction in
46     response to a disaster or to avoid or reduce the threat of a disaster.
47          (c) "Rules of order and procedure" means a set of rules that governs and prescribes in a
48     public meeting:
49          (i) parliamentary order and procedure;
50          (ii) ethical behavior; and
51          (iii) civil discourse.
52          (2) Subject to Subsection (3), a local school board or charter school governing board
53     shall:
54          (a) adopt rules of order and procedure to govern a public meeting of the local school
55     board;
56          (b) conduct a public meeting in accordance with the rules of order and procedure
57     described in Subsection (2)(a); and

58          (c) make the rules of order and procedure described in Subsection (2)(a) available to
59     the public:
60          (i) at each public meeting of the local school board; and
61          (ii) on the local school board's public website, if available.
62          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (3)(b) and (c), a local school board may not
63     hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary of the local school board's school
64     district.
65          (b) A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
66     of the local school board's school district if it is necessary for the local school board to hold a
67     meeting during a disaster or local emergency.
68          (c) A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
69     of the local school board's school district to conduct a site visit if:
70          (i) the location of the site visit provides the local school board members the
71     opportunity to see or experience an activity that:
72          (A) relates to the local school board's responsibilities; and
73          (B) does not exist within the geographic boundaries of the local school board's school
74     district; and
75          (ii) the local school board does not vote or take other action during the public meeting
76     held at the site visit location.
77          (d) This Subsection (3) does not apply to a charter school governing board.
78          [(3) Subjection (2)(a) does] (4) The requirements of this section do not affect a local
79     school [board's] board or charter school governing board's duty to comply with Title 52,
80     Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.