(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Assembly Bill No. 60–Assemblyman Beers

 

Prefiled January 31, 2001

 

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

 

SUMMARY—Requires public body to post additional notice of its meetings on its Internet website, if any. (BDR 18‑674)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to meetings of public bodies; requiring a public body to post additional notice of its meetings on its website on the Internet if the public body maintains such a website; providing an exception; 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

1-8  given 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.

1-16      (3) A period devoted to comments by the general public, if any, and

1-17  discussion of those comments. No action may be taken upon a matter

1-18  raised under this item of the agenda until the matter itself has been

1-19  specifically included on an agenda as an item upon which action may be

1-20  taken pursuant to subparagraph (2).

 

2-1    3.  Minimum public notice is:

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

2-3  body, or if there is no principal office, at the building in which the meeting

2-4  is to be held, and at not less than three other separate, prominent places

2-5  within the jurisdiction of the public body not later than 9 a.m. of the third

2-6  working day before the meeting; and

2-7    (b) Mailing a copy of the notice to any person who has requested notice

2-8  of the meetings of the body in the same manner in which notice is required

2-9  to be mailed to a member of the body. A request for notice lapses 6 months

2-10  after it is made. The public body shall inform the requester of this fact by

2-11  enclosure with or notation upon the first notice sent. The notice must be

2-12  delivered to the postal service used by the body not later than 9 a.m. of the

2-13  third working day before the meeting.

2-14    4.  If a public body maintains a website on the Internet or its

2-15  successor, the public body shall post notice of each of its meetings on its

2-16  website unless the public body is unable to do so because of technical

2-17  problems relating to the operation or maintenance of its website. Notice

2-18  posted pursuant to this subsection is supplemental to and is not a

2-19  substitute for the minimum public notice required pursuant to subsection

2-20  3. The inability of a public body to post notice of a meeting pursuant to

2-21  this subsection as a result of technical problems with its website shall not

2-22  be deemed to be a violation of the provisions of this chapter.

2-23    5. Upon any request, a public body shall provide, at no charge, at least

2-24  one copy of:

2-25    (a) An agenda for a public meeting;

2-26    (b) A proposed ordinance or regulation which will be discussed at the

2-27  public meeting; and

2-28    (c) Any other supporting material provided to the members of the body

2-29  for an item on the agenda, except materials:

2-30      (1) Submitted to the public body pursuant to a nondisclosure or

2-31  confidentiality agreement;

2-32      (2) Pertaining to the closed portion of such a meeting of the public

2-33  body; or

2-34      (3) Declared confidential by law.

2-35    [5.] 6. As used in this section, “emergency” means an unforeseen

2-36  circumstance which requires immediate action and includes, but is not

2-37  limited to:

2-38    (a) Disasters caused by fire, flood, earthquake or other natural causes;

2-39  or

2-40    (b) Any impairment of the health and safety of the public.

2-41    Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective on January 1, 2003.

 

2-42  H