Rep. Peter Cownie: With Some Local Entities Non-Compliant, Open Meetings Bill Needs Education Focus

By Rep. Peter Cownie
Senate File 430 refers to the Open Meetings-Open Records statute in the Iowa Code. This issue has been around for quite some time, and has received quite a bit of notoriety as most newspaper editorial boards have highlighted it as a priority.

Any open meetings-open records legislation goes through the House State Government Committee, which I chair. Open and transparent government is always a priority for the House State Government Committee. 

Do you think Senate File 430 is necessary? If not, what might be the best way to solve this problem? Or do you not think this is a problem at all? Tell us in comments and we’ll pass your thoughts along to Rep. Cownie.

Most legislators advocate for open and transparent government, and I am certainly one of them. For example, I have sponsored a bill that would not allow voting on the House floor after midnight because I don’t believe it is good practice to vote in the middle of the night when Iowans are not present and neither is the press.

Thankfully, this was passed in our House rules last year and I am pleased to report this practice has not occurred since its passage. This is a good common-sense measure for openness and transparency in my view.

So, the measure facing the Legislature this session is Senate File 430.
Senate File 430 creates a board to look at any and all open records and open meetings’ complaints. An example of a complaint might be a city council holding an official meeting in a non-public setting. This is against the law. Today, a citizen can bring a complaint to the attorney general’s office and/or the state ombudsman.

The logic behind Senate File 430 allows Iowans to have a central place to bring these complaints rather than two state agencies handling them, therefore meaning duplication in government services.

This would actually allow for a costs savings in the long run rather than employing people in these offices who are now tasked with enforcing and judging these complaints.

Granted, there also needs to be an educational mechanism accessible for our local officials so they know what is within their rights, and what is against the law.

In speaking to the attorney general’s office and the ombudsman on several occasions, it is clear to me that our local officials simply don’t know what is abiding the law and what is not. It is the Legislature’s job to ensure they have the resources and education necessary to understand and follow the law.

I would welcome your thoughts on this idea as this bill is still a work in progress. Do you think this is necessary? If not, what might be the best way to solve this problem? Or do you not think this is a problem at all? Please pass along any comments or suggestions regarding this issue.