AN ACT CHANGING ONE OF THE MONTHS IN WHICH SCHOOL TRUSTEES MUST HOLD A MEETING FROM JULY TO AUGUST; AMENDING SECTION 20-3-322, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 20-3-322, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-3-322. Meetings and quorum. (1) The trustees of a district shall hold at least the following number of regular meetings:

(a) an organization meeting, as prescribed by 20-3-321;

(b) a final budget meeting, as prescribed by 20-9-131; and

(c) in first-class elementary districts, not less than one regular meeting each month; or

(d) in any other district, regular meetings during the months of April, August, October, and January.

(2) The trustees of the district shall adopt a policy setting the day and time for the minimum number of regular school meetings prescribed in subsection (1)(c) or (1)(d) and, in addition, any other regular meeting days the trustees wish to establish. Except for an unforeseen emergency, meetings must be conducted in school buildings or in a publicly owned building located within the district.

(3) Special meetings of the trustees may be called by the presiding officer or any two members of the trustees by giving each member a 48-hour written notice of the meeting, except that the 48-hour notice is waived in an unforeseen emergency.

(4) Business may not be transacted by the trustees of a district unless it is transacted at a regular meeting or a properly called special meeting. A quorum for any meeting is a majority of the trustees' membership. All trustee meetings must be public meetings, as prescribed by 2-3-201, except that the trustees may recess to an executive session under the provisions of 2-3-203.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (3), "unforeseen emergency" means a storm, fire, explosion, community disaster, insurrection, act of God, or other unforeseen destruction or impairment of school district property that affects the health and safety of the trustees, students, or district employees or the educational functions of the district."

Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

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I hereby certify that the within bill,

HB 0348, originated in the House.

Chief Clerk of the House

Speaker of the House

Signed this	day

of	, .

President of the Senate

Signed this	day

of	, .

HOUSE BILL NO. 348

INTRODUCED BY T. FACEY, M. HALLIGAN, L. MCCULLOCH

AN ACT CHANGING ONE OF THE MONTHS IN WHICH SCHOOL TRUSTEES MUST HOLD A MEETING FROM JULY TO AUGUST; AMENDING SECTION 20-3-322, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.