Bigger fines for violating Idaho’s Open Meeting Law

Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, proposed the bill, saying fines hadn’t been updated since the Open Meeting Law first was enacted in 1974, and the increases reflect inflation.

The bill had a bumpy ride, with a House committee initially rejecting a version with even higher fines. Then, the House passed the bill, but the Senate added technical amendments that turned out to have a serious drafting error, inadvertently repealing a portion of the existing law. Finally, a new version was introduced in the House, where it passed, 60-9, and then passed the Senate, 29-4. Otter had no comment as he signed the bill into law. It takes effect July 1. Betsy Russell, EOB