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Senate education committee pauses bill that would require schools to post approved minutes within 24 hours
Summary
A Senate Education Committee hearing on SB 89 focused on a proposal to require school districts to post approved board minutes or agendas within 24 hours. Members expressed support for increased transparency but raised concerns about small districts and special meetings; the sponsor agreed to amend the bill and return it to the committee.
The Senate Education Committee heard SB 89, a transparency measure that would require school districts to post approved board minutes and related agenda information on their websites within 24 hours, but members asked the sponsor to amend the proposal before the committee acts further.
Senator English, who presented the bill to the committee, described it as "a transparency bill" that would require "the agenda is posted on the school's website so that everybody knows what's going to be on the agenda for the next day." Senator English also explained the bill's posting timeline as written in the bill language.
Several committee members said they supported the goal of faster public access to minutes but questioned the 24-hour requirement. Senator Murdock asked about the statute's time frame on page 2 and raised a capacity concern for smaller districts, noting the language could be read to require posting "no later than 24 hours" after approval — effectively the next day — which could be difficult for districts with limited staff. "That's my only concern with this. I like the transparency ... Just the 24 hours is a concern," Murdock said.
Committee members also asked how the bill would apply to special-called meetings. Senator Davis observed that under the state's Freedom of Information Act, some special meetings require only a shorter notice (about two hours), and asked whether the bill would put districts in conflict with FOIA when meetings are called on short notice. Senator Bryant and others suggested carving out special meetings or setting a different timeframe for them; Senator English said the committee could amend the language to address that concern.
After discussion, Senator English told the committee he would "pull it down today and amend it and come back." No vote was taken on SB 89 at the hearing.
The bill will return to the committee with amended language to clarify timing for special meetings and the posting requirement for districts with limited capacity.
