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House approves bill spelling out how public bodies may hold electronic meetings
Summary
HB 162, sponsored by Representative Brent Goodfellow, passed the House unanimously to define and authorize electronic meetings for public bodies, including an anchor location requirement to preserve public access under the open meetings law.
The House on the ninth day of the session approved HB 162, which establishes statutory criteria for public bodies to hold electronic meetings.
Representative Brent Goodfellow, sponsor of the bill, said HB 162 defines electronic meetings (telecommunications, video conferences and computer conferences) and requires an "anchor location" where notice is posted and the public can attend, monitor or participate. "This bill authorizes public bodies to hold electronic meetings and establishes the criteria for the public to have access and to participate," Goodfellow said.
Members questioned how the bill integrates with existing statutes that require certain meetings to occur at particular locations and how records will be kept for electronic meetings. Lieutenant Valentine and others asked whether routine e-mail exchanges could be interpreted as a meeting; the sponsor and other supporters clarified that a quorum of a public body constitutes a meeting and that simple e-mail exchanges without a quorum are not covered by the bill.
The sponsor said the measure would codify practices already in use, require a central anchor location for public access and ensure compliance with broader open-meetings requirements. After floor discussion and summation, the House recorded the vote as 70–0 in favor of HB 162 and forwarded the bill to the Senate.
Next steps: HB 162 goes to the Utah Senate for further action.
