The bill aims to strengthen the enforcement of Minnesota's open meeting law by increasing penalties for noncompliance and establishing civil actions for violations. Key amendments include the requirement that all closed meetings, except those permitted by attorney-client privilege, must be electronically recorded at the public body's expense and preserved for a minimum of three years. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a public body must identify the legal issue or case discussed in a closed meeting under attorney-client privilege, and any person may bring an action if they believe a meeting was improperly closed.

Furthermore, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for intentional violations from $300 to $1,000 for the first offense 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 duration of their term. The court is granted the authority to award reasonable costs and attorney fees to the prevailing plaintiff, with specific provisions for cases deemed frivolous. Overall, these changes are designed to enhance transparency and accountability in public meetings.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 13D.05, 13D.06