Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 421 - Human Rights Department › Chapter 40 - Functions of Division › Rule 421-40.4 - Meetings of the Commissions

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
			 Commissions shall meet as required by Iowa Code sections
			 216A.12,
			 216A.53,
			 216A.74,
			 216A.113,
			 216A.142,
			 216A.152,
			 and
			 216A.162.
			 No later than October 1, commissions shall establish and make public an annual
			 schedule of required meetings for the following calendar year. A commission may
			 alter its schedule with an affirmative vote of the majority of the members of
			 the commission. The public shall be notified of alterations to the schedule
			 within two business days of the official vote for alteration. A commission may
			 hold additional special meetings with an affirmative vote of a majority of the
			 membership of the commission. All meetings, including special meetings, shall
			 be public meetings unless a closed session is approved pursuant to Iowa Code
			 section
			 21.5. All official
			 commission communication shall include each member of the commission, including
			 the ex officio member, and the administrator.
(2) Meeting agendas shall be posted as
			 required by Iowa Code section
			 21.4. Meeting
			 agendas will be available on the department website at least 24 hours in
			 advance of the meeting unless the meeting meets criteria established in Iowa
			 Code section
			 21.4 for an
			 emergency meeting. Minutes of the meeting will be posted on the department
			 website upon approval by the commission.
(3) Members of the public attending a
			 commission meeting shall request any necessary reasonable accommodations for
			 their attendance at least five business days in advance of the scheduled
			 meeting. Accommodations requested after this time frame will be made if
			 reasonably possible. Accommodations may be made using appropriate services at
			 the discretion of the department, with consideration of the needs of the public
			 in attendance.
(4) All commission
			 meetings shall provide an opportunity for public comment. Commissions shall not
			 limit public comment to persons who have preregistered with the commission. All
			 members of the public addressing the commission shall be present at the meeting
			 in person or via conference call or provide written comments. All members of
			 the public addressing the commission in person, via conference call or in
			 writing shall provide their full name, mailing address or other appropriate
			 information to allow future correspondence, and city and state of residence.
			 Commissions may limit the duration of public comment in total or per
			 individual. The time and duration of public comment will be published on the
			 meeting agenda at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. The chairperson,
			 vice chairperson, director, administrator, or member of the division may
			 exclude any person from the meeting for comments or behavior that disrupts or
			 obstructs the meeting.
(5) Members
			 of the public requesting to be placed on the commission agenda for a specific
			 topic and duration shall make that request in person, by phone, by email or via
			 the U.S. postal service to the commission chairperson or the division no later
			 than three business days in advance of the commission meeting. The chairperson
			 shall accept or deny a request and shall inform the individual making the
			 request and the division of the decision no later than two business days in
			 advance of the meeting using the same method of communication through which the
			 request was received, followed by a written confirmation via U.S. postal
			 service. The chairperson has sole discretion to accept or deny a request to
			 appear on the agenda; however, denial of a scheduled time on the agenda does
			 not preclude a member of the public from participating in the public comment
			 portion of a meeting.
(6)
			 Substantial alterations to a published draft commission agenda shall be subject
			 to an affirmative vote of the majority of a commission.
(7) Positions of the commission, and publicly
			 communicated messages regarding those positions from the commission, require an
			 affirmative vote of the majority of a commission in a public meeting.