The bill aims to strengthen the sanctions for noncompliance with Minnesota's open meeting law by amending several sections of the Minnesota Statutes. Key changes include the requirement that all closed meetings, except those closed under attorney-client privilege, must be electronically recorded at the public body's expense and preserved for at least three years. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a public body must identify the legal issue or case to be discussed before closing a meeting under attorney-client privilege, and it allows any person to bring a civil action if a public body improperly closes a meeting or discusses public business not permitted by this privilege.

Furthermore, the bill increases the penalties for intentional violations of the open meeting law, raising the maximum fine from $300 to $1,000 for the first violation and $1,200 for subsequent violations. It also stipulates that individuals found to have committed three separate intentional violations will forfeit their right to serve on the governing body for the remainder of their term. The bill allows courts to award reasonable attorney fees to prevailing plaintiffs and sets limits on costs and fees awarded in frivolous cases. Overall, these amendments are designed to enhance transparency and accountability in public meetings.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 13D.05, 13D.06
1st Engrossment: 13D.05, 13D.06