IA HF416

Increases damages for open meetings violations from $100-$500 to $500-$2,500, and for knowing violations from $1,000-$2,500 to $5,000-$12,500

Requires courts to remove government body members from office if they have engaged in a prior open meetings violation during their term, regardless of whether damages were assessed

Mandates newly elected or appointed public officials on governmental bodies complete 1-2 hours of training on open meetings and open records requirements within 90 days of taking office or assuming responsibilities

Requires the Iowa Public Information Board to ensure training is available, with at least one course offered at no cost, and governmental bodies must maintain publicly available records of members' training completion

Members who fail to complete training within 90 days have an additional 60 days to comply or may face damages under the open meetings statute, though failure to complete training does not invalidate actions taken by the governmental body