Iowa HF 706: A bill for an act creating a vacant school building demolition grant program and fund and including contingent effective date provisions.

Bill Text

House
File
706
-
Enrolled

House
File
706

AN
ACT

RELATING
TO
OPEN
MEETINGS
AND
OPEN
RECORDS,
PROVIDING

PENALTIES,
AND
MAKING
PENALTIES
APPLICABLE.

BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:

Section
1.
Section
21.6,
subsection
3,
paragraphs
a
and
d,

Code
2025,
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:

a.
Shall
assess
each
member
of
the
governmental
body
who

participated
in
its
violation
damages
in
the
amount
of
not
more

than
two
thousand

five
hundred
dollars
and
not
less
than
one

five
hundred
dollars.
However,
if
a
member
of
a
governmental

body
knowingly
participated
in
such
a
violation,
damages

shall
be
in
the
amount
of
not
more
than
two
twelve
thousand

five
hundred
dollars
and
not
less
than
one

five
thousand

dollars.
These
damages
shall
be
paid
by
the
court
imposing

it
to
the
state
of
Iowa,
if
the
body
in
question
is
a
state

governmental
body,
or
to
the
local
government
involved
if
the

body
in
question
is
a
local
governmental
body.
A
member
of
a

governmental
body
found
to
have
violated
this
chapter
shall
not

be
assessed
such
damages
if
that
member
proves
that
the
member

did
any
of
the
following:

(1)
Voted
against
the
closed
session.

(2)
Had
good
reason
to
believe
and
in
good
faith
believed

facts
which,
if
true,
would
have
indicated
compliance
with
all

the
requirements
of
this
chapter
.

(3)
Reasonably
relied
upon
a
decision
of
a
court,
a
formal

opinion
of
the
Iowa
public
information
board,
the
attorney

House
File
706,
p.
2

general,
or
the
attorney
for
the
governmental
body,
given
in

writing,
or
as
memorialized
in
the
minutes
of
the
meeting
at

which
a
formal
oral
opinion
was
given,
or
an
advisory
opinion

of
the
Iowa
public
information
board,
the
attorney
general,
or

the
attorney
for
the
governmental
body,
given
in
writing.

d.
Shall
issue
an
order
removing
a
member
of
a
governmental

body
from
office
if
that
member
has
engaged
in
a
prior

violation
of
this
chapter
for
which
damages
were
assessed

against
the
member
during
the
member’s
term

.

Sec.
2.
NEW
SECTION
.
21.12
Member
education
course

required.

1.
A
newly
elected
or
appointed
public
official
who
is

a
member
of
a
governmental
body
shall
complete
a
course
of

training
of
not
less
than
one
and
not
more
than
two
hours

regarding
the
responsibilities
of
the
governmental
body
and
the

governmental
body’s
members
under
this
chapter
and
chapter
22

not
later
than
the
ninetieth
day
after
the
date
the
member
does

one
of
the
following,
as
applicable:

a.
Takes
the
initial
oath
of
office.

b.
Assumes
responsibilities,
if
the
member
is
not
required

to
take
an
oath
of
office.

c.
Is
elected
to
the
office.

2.
The
Iowa
public
information
board
shall
ensure
that
the

training
is
made
available.
The
Iowa
public
information
board

may
provide
the
training
and
may
also
approve
any
acceptable

course
of
training
offered
by
a
governmental
body
or
other

entity.
The
Iowa
public
information
board
shall
ensure
that
at

least
one
course
of
training
approved
or
provided
by
the
Iowa

public
information
board
is
available
at
no
cost.

3.
The
Iowa
public
information
board
or
other
entity

providing
the
training
shall
provide
a
certificate
of
course

completion
to
persons
who
complete
the
training
required
by

this
section.
A
governmental
body
shall
maintain
and
make

available
for
public
inspection
the
record
of
the
governmental

body’s
members’
completion
of
the
training.

a.
Completing
the
required
training
as
a
member
of

the
governmental
body
satisfies
the
requirements
of
this

section
with
regard
to
the
member’s
service
on
a
committee
or

subcommittee
of
the
governmental
body
and
the
member’s
service

House
File
706,
p.
3

on
any
other
governmental
body.

b.
The
training
required
by
this
section
may
be
used
to

satisfy
any
corresponding
training
requirements
concerning
this

chapter
and
chapter
22
as
required
by
law
for
the
members
of
a

governmental
body.

4.
If
one
or
more
members
of
a
governmental
body
fail
to

complete
the
training
required
by
this
section,
the
failure

does
not
affect
the
validity
of
an
action
taken
by
the

governmental
body.
However,
the
member
must
complete
training

within
sixty
days
or
may
be
assessed
damages
as
described
in

section
21.6,
subsection
3.

5.
This
section
does
not
apply
to
a
member
of
a
governmental

body
if
the
member
or
governmental
body
is
excluded
from
the

jurisdiction
of
the
Iowa
public
information
board
under
section

23.12.

Sec.
3.
Section
22.7,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the

following
new
subsections:

NEW
SUBSECTION
.
76.
Information
obtained
from
security

camera
systems
operated
by
the
legislative
branch
monitoring

property
owned
or
leased
by
the
state.

NEW
SUBSECTION

.
77.
Information
obtained
from
state

employee
identification
card
access
systems
for
buildings
and

rooms
owned
or
leased
by
the
state.

Sec.
4.
Section
23.6,
subsection
8,
Code
2025,
is
amended

to
read
as
follows:

8.
After
appropriate
board
proceedings,
issue
orders

with
the
force
of
law,
determ