North DakotaNorth Dakota public bodies must offer comment at regular meetings
At every regular meeting, covered North Dakota local governing bodies must offer people a chance to comment and set rules for those comments.
What it does
Covered local governing bodies must give people a chance to comment at every regular meeting.
Speakers must give their name and address, and each governing body must set comment rules. The policy may limit speaking time or agenda topics, and may bar comments in specified cases.
Argument forA chance to speak at every regular meeting could help residents bring concerns directly to local decision-makers.
Argument againstGiving their name and address, and facing limits on comments, could discourage some people from speaking at public meetings.
More detail
Each covered governing body must offer people a chance to comment at every regular meeting. This applies to governing bodies of cities, counties, townships, school districts, park districts, and water resource districts. The comment opportunity applies at every regular meeting.
A person who comments must give the governing body their name and address in writing, and the body must set rules for public comment. These rules apply to governing bodies of cities, counties, townships, school districts, park districts, and water resource districts. The person's address is an exempt record. The body may limit speaking time or limit comments to agenda topics from the current meeting and at least one preceding meeting. Its policy may require comments to relate to the public body, avoid disrupting the meeting, and avoid defamatory, abusive, harassing, or unlawful speech. The policy may prohibit a comment if another process exists for bringing that type of comment to the body, if it includes confidential or exempt information, or if another law prohibits it.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 2Filed with Secretary Of State 05/01Latest
- May 1Signed by Governor Kelly Armstrong 04/30Became Law
- Apr 29Sent to GovernorTo Governor
- Apr 29Signed by President
- Apr 28Signed by Speaker
- Apr 24Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 93 nays 0Major
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2180. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 24Conference committee report adopted
- Apr 21Reported back from conference committee, in place of, placed on calendarMinor
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2180. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Second reading, passed, yeas 43 nays 4Major
- Apr 21Conference committee report adopted
- Apr 17Reported back from conference committee, in place of, placed on calendarMinor
- Apr 8Conference committee appointed Fegley Ostlie Warrey
- Apr 4Conference committee appointed Castaneda Barta Walen
- Apr 4Refused to concur
- Apr 2Returned to Senate (12)
- Apr 1Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 85 nays 4Passed House
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2180. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Mar 28Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 9 1 3Minor
- Mar 20Committee Hearing 03:00
- Feb 25Introduced, first reading, referred Political Subdivisions CommitteeMinor
- Feb 21Received from Senate
- Feb 20Second reading, passed, yeas 41 nays 6Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Motion for Final Passage on SB 2180. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 18Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Feb 17Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 5 0 1Minor
- Jan 24Committee Hearing 09:00
- Jan 13Introduced, first reading, referred State and Local Government CommitteeIntroduced
Government & Ethics