Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 81 Second Substitute (2015GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Hall, C.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/23/2015

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires a local school board to hold the local school board's public meetings within the geographic boundary of the local school board's school district;
• provides an exception for:
• a meeting held during a disaster or local emergency; or
• a meeting held during a site visit; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS REQUIREMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Craig Hall
Senate Sponsor: 
Deidre M. Henderson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill establishes meeting location requirements for local school boards.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires a local school board to hold the local school board's public meetings within
the geographic boundary of the local school board's school district;
▸ provides an exception for:
• a meeting held during a disaster or local emergency; or
• a meeting held during a site visit; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53A-3-106
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 107
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-3-106
 is amended to read:
53A-3-106.
Local school board meetings -- Rules of order and procedure --
Location requirements.
[
(1) As used in this section, "rules of order and procedure" means a set of rules that
govern and prescribe in a public meeting:
]
[
(a) parliamentary order and procedure;
]
[
(b) ethical behavior; and
]
[
(c) civil discourse.
]
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Disaster" means an event that:
(i) causes, or threatens to cause, loss of life, human suffering, public or private property
damage, or economic or social disruption resulting from attack, internal disturbance, natural
phenomenon, or technological hazard; and
(ii) requires resources that are beyond the scope of local agencies in routine responses
to emergencies and accidents and may be of a magnitude or involve unusual circumstances that
require a response by a governmental, not-for-profit, or private entity.
(b) "Local emergency" means a condition in any municipality or county of the state that
requires that emergency assistance be provided by the affected municipality or county or
another political subdivision to save lives and protect property within its jurisdiction in
response to a disaster or to avoid or reduce the threat of a disaster.
(c) "Rules of order and procedure" means a set of rules that governs and prescribes in a
public meeting:
(i) parliamentary order and procedure;
(ii) ethical behavior; and
(iii) civil discourse.
(2) Subject to Subsection (3), a local school board 
or charter school governing board
shall:
(a) adopt rules of order and procedure to govern a public meeting of the local school
board;
(b) conduct a public meeting in accordance with the rules of order and procedure
described in Subsection (2)(a); and
(c) make the rules of order and procedure described in Subsection (2)(a) available to
the public:
(i) at each public meeting of the local school board; and
(ii) on the local school board's public website, if available.
(3) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (3)(b) and (c), a local school board may not
hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary of the local school board's school
district.
(b) A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
of the local school board's school district if it is necessary for the local school board to hold a
meeting during a disaster or local emergency.
(c) 
A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
of the local school board's school district to conduct a site visit if:
(i) the location of the site visit provides the local school board members the
opportunity to see or experience an activity that:
(A) relates to the local school board's responsibilities; and
(B) does not exist within the geographic boundaries of the local school board's school
district; and
(ii) the local school board does not vote or take other action during the public meeting
held at the site visit location.
(d) This Subsection (3) does not apply to a charter school governing board.
[
(3) Subjection (2)(a) does
] 
(4) The requirements of this section do
 not affect a local
school [
board's
] 
board or charter school governing board's
 duty to comply with Title 52,
Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.