St. Paul, MN – Today, the House Government Operations Committee held a remote hearing on proposed legislation aimed at adapting local government operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On the heels of Governor Walz’s extension of the ‘Stay at Home’ order, it’s clear we need to be responsive to this pandemic in a way that ensures our local governments can operate as efficiently as possible,” said Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL – Golden Valley), chair of the House Government Operations Committee. “It’s unclear how long COVID-19 could be impacting our communities, or if a resurgence is possible in later months. In anticipation of the long-term impacts of this pandemic, our committee will focus on providing the flexibility for our communities to operate effectively.”
The committee heard testimony on House File 4507, authored by Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL – Spring Lake Park), which modifies interactive television attendance requirements for the open meeting law. Though a formal bill has not been introduced, the committee also discussed proposed language, authored by Rep. Freiberg, which would authorize local governments to accept certain documents and signatures electronically or by mail.
Supporting documents can be found on the committee’s website, and a video recording of the hearing can be found on the House Public Information’s YouTube channel.
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