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Panel votes 'do not pass' on bill requiring publication of meeting minutes in print
Summary
House Bill 1380, which would change publication requirements for meeting minutes, received a committee do-not-pass recommendation after members debated taxpayer fairness and transparency concerns.
The Political Subdivisions Committee recommended a "do not pass" on House Bill 1380, a measure addressing publication of meeting minutes, after members weighed whether taxpayer funds should guarantee print publication for residents who prefer paper copies.
Representative Hileman indicated he had an amendment but preferred to wait until Thursday to finalize it; the chair set that item aside and the committee later took up the bill. Representative Laurie moved a do-not-pass recommendation and Representative Hager seconded.
Representative Belinski said he personally values printed newspapers but concluded it would be unfair to require taxpayers to subsidize a particular medium for all residents. "I don't think it was fair to ask people that don't prefer that paper copy to put their tax money into what some other people prefer," he said, and added that newspapers could choose to post minutes for free.
The clerk recorded the committee vote on the do-not-pass recommendation: "House Bill 1380 receives a do not pass, 10 yea, 2 nay, 1 absent not voting." Representative Clemen agreed to carry the bill to the floor.
Committee members noted the tradeoff between promoting transparency and imposing costs on local governments and taxpayers, but the majority concluded the bill as written was not appropriate.
