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<br /> 471.705 MUNICIPAL RIGHTS,POWERS,DUTIES 9710
<br /> I, 471.705 MEETINGS OF GOVERNING BODIES; OPEN TO PUBLIC; EXCEP-
<br /> '� TIONS.
<br /> Subdivision 1. Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, all meetings,
<br /> including executive sessions, of any state agency, board, commission or department
<br /> I' when required or permitted by law to transact public business in a meeting, and the
<br /> I` i governing body of any school district however organized, unorganized territory,
<br /> I' county,city,town, or other public body, and of any committee,subcommittee,board,
<br /> IS department or commission thereof, shall be open to the public, except meetings of the
<br /> board of pardons and the commissioner of corrections. The votes of the members of
<br /> ,,,; , such state agency,board,commission or department or of such governing body, corn-i mittee, subcommittee, board, department or commission on any action taken in a
<br /> meeting herein required to be open to the public shall be recorded in a journal kept for
<br /> I,'I that purpose,which journal shall be open to the public during all normal business hours
<br /> i; where such records are kept.The vote of each member shall be recorded on each appro-
<br /> ,'I priation of money,except for payments of judgments,claims and amounts fixed by stat-
<br /> ute. This section shall not apply to any state agency, board, or commission when
<br /> exercising quasi-judicial functions involving disciplinary proceedings.
<br /> Subd. 1 a. Subdivision 1 does not apply to a meeting held pursuant to the proce-
<br /> dure in this subdivision. The governing body of a public employer may by a majority
<br /> ,I vote in a public meeting decide to hold a closed meeting to consider strategy for labor
<br /> ,', negotiations,including negotiation strategies or developments or discussion and review I
<br /> i 1 of labor negotiation proposals, conducted pursuant to sections 179A.01 to 179A.25. ;
<br /> The time of commencement and place of the closed meeting shall be announced at the
<br /> public meeting.A written roll of members and all other persons present at the closed ,`<
<br /> meeting shall be made available to the public after the closed meeting.The proceedings
<br /> 1 of a closed meeting to discuss negotiation strategies shall be tape recorded at the
<br /> . expense of the governing body and shall be preserved by it for two years after the con- u
<br /> tract is signed and shall be made available to the public after all labor contracts are
<br /> I signed by the governing body for the current budget period.
<br /> If an action is brought claiming that public business other than discussions of labor
<br /> negotiation strategies or developments or discussion and review of labor negotiation -i
<br /> proposals was transacted at a closed meeting held pursuant to this subdivision during
<br /> the time when the tape is not available to the public,the court shall review the recording
<br /> of the meeting in camera. If the court determines that no violation of this section is .- "`
<br /> found,the action shall be dismissed and the recording shall be preserved in the records
<br /> of the court until otherwise made available to the public pursuant to this section.If the
<br /> court determines that a violation of this section is found, the recording may be intro-
<br /> 1'1 duced at trial in its entirety subject to any protective orders as requested by either party
<br /> I and deemed appropriate by the court.
<br /> The prevailing party in an action brought before or after the tape is made available
<br /> I ' to the public which establishes that a violation of this section has occurred shall recover
<br /> [I costs and reasonable attorney's fees as determined by the court.
<br /> Subd. lb.In any meeting which under subdivision 1 must be open to the public, -,
<br /> at least one copy of any printed materials relating to the agenda items of the meeting
<br /> ,I which are prepared or distributed by or at the direction of the governing body or its s -
<br /> I, employees and which are:
<br /> 11 (1) distributed at the meeting to all members of the governing body; ,
<br /> (2) distributed before the meeting to all members; or
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<br /> (3) available in the meeting room to all members;
<br /> shall be available in the meeting room for inspection by the public.The materials fi
<br /> I shall be available to the public while the governing body considers their subject matter. ,
<br /> , , 1 This subdivision does not apply to materials classified by law as other than public as
<br /> 1 , defined in chapter 13, or to materials relating to the agenda items of a closed meeting `a.
<br /> held in accordance with the procedures in subdivision la or other law permitting the
<br /> i lI • closing of meetings.If a member intentionally violates the requirements of this subdivi-
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