Rep. Brent Siegrist on Strengthening Iowa’s Open Meetings Law

Background

Recently, a bill meant to strengthen Iowa’s open meetings law was vetoed by Governor Kim Reynolds due to a last-minute amendment that could potentially allow official deliberations to be made in secret. House File 2539 aimed to increase the penalties for violating transparency requirements for governmental bodies and require trainings on open records and meetings laws for elected and appointed officials. However, the approved amendment could create a loophole in the law.

Rep. Brent Siegrist’s perspective

Rep. Brent Siegrist, R-Council Bluffs, voiced his disappointment over the bill’s amendment and the need for its reconsideration in the upcoming legislative session. “It’s something we need to do,” he said in an interview. Siegrist managed the bill in the House and said the late changes created an unintended consequence that could have been corrected had the Senate acted sooner.

The Amendment Controversy

The amendment in question specifies that a majority of a government body could attend a gathering hosted by a political party, candidate or civic organization without violating the open meetings law. However, the caveat could have allowed official deliberations to be made in secret during the event, without fulfilling the 24-hour notice requirement. The Iowa Public Information Board deemed this as an enormous loophole in the law.

Governor’s Veto

Governor Reynolds vetoed the bill, citing the amendment’s unnecessary definition and the need for Governmental bodies to undergo training about the state’s transparency requirements. Siegrist agrees that this provision will likely be included in future open-meetings legislation and stressed the importance of avoiding loopholes in the state’s transparency laws.

Conclusion

Transparency in governmental actions is paramount, and the need for Iowa’s open meetings law cannot be emphasized enough. It is essential that transparency requirements for governmental bodies be given protective measures against possible loopholes. This can be achieved by careful consideration and scrutiny of amendments and provisions used in bills like House File 2539.

Originally Post From https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/lawmakers-are-likely-revisit-open-meetings-bill-next-session

Lawmakers to Revisit Open Meetings Bill Next Session in the States