Iowa public officials can meet new state requirements and strengthen public trust by attending upcoming Open Meeting and Open Records training sessions from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development.
Under House File 706, all newly elected or appointed public officials in Iowa are now required to complete training on Open Meeting and Open Records. Mickey Shields, the Deputy Director at the Iowa League of Cities, spoke with RadioOnTheGo News in October and says this law pertains to those elected to a variety of positions; including those on library boards, planning and zoning commissions and other local government bodies.
“I think the impetus behind it is many of our elected officials at really all levels of government, but local government certainly come from all walks of life. And it’s probably fair to say that many of them do not come into their roles with a lot of knowledge on the open meetings and open records laws that govern the state of Iowa and all the governmental entities within it. And so there’s just a need to get those folks educated so they understand the basics of the law and that transparency is at the heart of governmental activities and so we definitely support the notion that we need to get local officials trained on these really important laws and open meetings and open records laws are again very very important for everyone to understand and to follow.”
The course offered by ISU Extension is approved by the Iowa Public Information Board and fulfills the state’s legal requirement. Upcoming virtual sessions are scheduled for November 20th, December 3rd and 4th, 10th and 11th and December 16th and 18th.
This interactive training explains Iowa Code Chapters 21 and 22, often called the state’s “sunshine laws.” Participants learn how to properly post meeting notices, craft agendas, handle closed sessions and manage access to public records in clear, practical terms they can apply right away. The registration fee is $50 per participant, and enrollment is required in advance. More information available on these virtual sessions are available here.
