The House has defeated a bill that would have added civil penalties to a violation of the state’s open meetings and open records laws.
The bill’s main sponsor – Rep. Randy Boehning (R-Fargo) said he introduced the bill because of what he called the “numerous violations” of the law by the state Board of Higher Education.
"They have the attorney or somebody who comes in and gives them a class on the ethics of open meeting laws," said Boehning on the House floor. "So what do they do the next day? They violate them once again."
Rep.Kim Koppelman (R-West Fargo) chairs the House Judiciary Committee, which heard the bill. He says while North Dakota has some of the best sunshine laws in the country, they’ve always been applied without penalty.
"The basic penalty for violating the open meetings law is embarrassment," said Koppelman. "Maybe for some that isn't a sufficient penalty."
But Koppelman says Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is appointing a task force to look at the laws and the sanctions – and he says lawmakers should wait and see what that task force recommends.
The bill failed on a 72 to 21 vote.