Senate Bill No. 312–Committee on Government Affairs

(On Behalf of Attorney General)

March 4, 1999

____________

Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

 

SUMMARY—Clarifies that notices of public meetings must be sent by first-class mail or its equivalent without charge. (BDR 19-312)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Yes.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.

~

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to meetings of public bodies; clarifying that notices of public meetings must be sent by first-class mail or its equivalent without charge; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. NRS 241.020 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2 241.020 1. Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, all

1-3 meetings of public bodies must be open and public, and all persons must be

1-4 permitted to attend any meeting of these bodies. Public officers and

1-5 employees responsible for these meetings shall make reasonable efforts to

1-6 assist and accommodate physically handicapped persons desiring to attend.

1-7 2. Except in an emergency, written notice of all meetings must be given

1-8 at least 3 working days before the meeting. The notice must include:

1-9 (a) The time, place and location of the meeting.

1-10 (b) A list of the locations where the notice has been posted.

1-11 (c) An agenda consisting of:

1-12 (1) A clear and complete statement of the topics scheduled to be

1-13 considered during the meeting.

1-14 (2) A list describing the items on which action may be taken and

1-15 clearly denoting that action may be taken on those items.

2-1 (3) A period devoted to comments by the general public, if any, and

2-2 discussion of those comments. No action may be taken upon a matter raised

2-3 under this item of the agenda until the matter itself has been specifically

2-4 included on an agenda as an item upon which action may be taken pursuant

2-5 to subparagraph (2).

2-6 3. Minimum public notice is:

2-7 (a) Posting a copy of the notice at the principal office of the public

2-8 body, or if there is no principal office, at the building in which the meeting

2-9 is to be held, and at not less than three other separate, prominent places

2-10 within the jurisdiction of the public body not later than 9 a.m. of the third

2-11 working day before the meeting; and

2-12 (b) Mailing , by first-class mail or its equivalent, a copy of the notice ,

2-13 at no charge, to any person who has requested notice of the meetings of the

2-14 body . [in the same manner in which notice is required to be mailed to a

2-15 member of the body.] A request for notice lapses 6 months after it is made.

2-16 The public body shall inform the requester of this fact by enclosure with or

2-17 notation upon the first notice sent. The notice must be delivered to the

2-18 postal service used by the body not later than 9 a.m. of the third working

2-19 day before the meeting.

2-20 4. Upon any request, a public body shall provide, at no charge, at least

2-21 one copy of:

2-22 (a) An agenda for a public meeting;

2-23 (b) A proposed ordinance or regulation which will be discussed at the

2-24 public meeting; and

2-25 (c) Any other supporting material provided to the members of the body

2-26 for an item on the agenda, except materials:

2-27 (1) Submitted to the public body pursuant to a nondisclosure or

2-28 confidentiality agreement;

2-29 (2) Pertaining to the closed portion of such a meeting of the public

2-30 body; or

2-31 (3) Declared confidential by law.

2-32 5. As used in this section, "emergency" means an unforeseen

2-33 circumstance which requires immediate action and includes, but is not

2-34 limited to:

2-35 (a) Disasters caused by fire, flood, earthquake or other natural causes; or

2-36 (b) Any impairment of the health and safety of the public.

2-37 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 1999.

~