House Bill No. 1349 Summary

• Expands the definition of "meeting" to include informal gatherings and work sessions held in person or through electronic means if they involve a quorum discussing public business or are part of a pattern to avoid open meeting requirements.

• Requires public entities to provide adequate physical space for in-person meetings and sufficient electronic capacity for remote participation, with violations occurring only when space or capacity genuinely cannot accommodate expected attendees.

• Designates finalists in public employment hiring as open records once selected, while keeping non-finalist applications confidential unless fewer than three qualified applicants are received.

• Makes active litigation records exempt from public disclosure unless already filed publicly or litigation is completed, and creates new exemptions for medical records and active investigation records of the Medicaid fraud control unit.

• Requires notices for electronic meetings to include information necessary for public access and viewing, and permits governing bodies to impose reasonable limitations on recording to prevent meeting disruption.