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Counties weigh option to post commission minutes online as newspapers warn of transparency loss
Summary
The committee heard House Bill 1380, which would allow counties to publish board of county commissioners' proceedings on their official websites instead of in newspapers. Proponents said the change would save taxpayer money; newspapers and publishers warned it could reduce public access, independent verification and archival permanence.
The Political Subdivisions Committee held a hearing on House Bill 1380, a measure that would allow counties the option to publish proceedings of a board of county commissioners on an official county website rather than in a newspaper.
Representative Matt Heilman, the bill sponsor, told the committee the change would give counties an option and could save money. "This bill is brought to me by an individual who said this will be saving the counties lots of money," Heilman said during his opening remarks, and he cited county testimony estimating large publication costs.
Danelle Presque, representing the North Dakota Association of Counties (NDACO), urged support and presented statewide budget figures she said counties reported: publication budgets that…
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