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County attorney gives annual open‑meetings briefing; flags July 2026 statutory changes
Summary
The Lincoln County State's Attorney's Office provided required training on South Dakota open‑meetings law, covering what constitutes a meeting, notice and teleconference rules, executive‑session grounds and minutes. The attorney flagged upcoming legislative changes (Senate Bills 46 and 47) that will tighten agenda detail and citation requirements effective July 1, 2026.
Drew from the Lincoln County State's Attorney's Office gave the commission its required annual briefing on South Dakota’s open‑meetings laws at the Feb. 24 meeting.
The presentation covered when a gathering constitutes a public meeting, notice requirements (24‑hour posting and accessible agenda), teleconference rules and the need to provide the public a place to listen and participate when members attend remotely. He reviewed the four statutory reasons for executive session — personnel competency, consultation with legal counsel on litigation, contract negotiations and other specified matters — and stressed that boards must stay on the stated executive‑session topic.
Drew also described the complaint process for alleged violations and how matters are handled by the state’s attorney or referred to the South Dakota Open Meetings Commission. He noted changes enacted by the legislature that take effect July 1, 2026, requiring more detailed agenda descriptions and stricter citation of statutory grounds for executive sessions.
The presentation emphasized best practices: post agendas early with sufficient detail, provide audio/video and draft minutes promptly, avoid deliberation by email or informal gatherings, and cite statutory subsections when invoking executive‑session authority.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about teleconferencing, public‑comment rules and minutes availability.
