Assigned to GOV FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2412
open meetings; digital recordings
Purpose
Requires all public bodies to provide for the taking of both written minutes and an audio
or audiovisual recording of all public body meetings, rather than requiring either the taking of
minutes or a recording. Outlines requirements for posting of minutes and recordings.
Background
All meetings of a public body must be public and all persons must be allowed to attend and
listen to the deliberations and proceedings. All public bodies must provide for the taking of written
minutes or a recording of all meetings, including executive sessions. Minutes or a recording of a
meeting must be available for public inspection within three working days of a meeting, with
certain exemptions. A public body of a city or town with a population of more than 2,500 persons
must: 1) within 3 working days after a meeting post either a statement describing the legal actions
taken by the public body of the city or town during the meeting or any recording of the meeting
on the public body's website; 2) within 2 working days following approval of the minutes, post the
minutes of a meeting on the public body's website; and 3) within 10 working days after a
subcommittee or advisory committee meeting, post either a statement describing legal action taken
at the meeting or a recording of the meeting on the public body's website (A.R.S. ยง 38-431.01).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires all public bodies to provide for both the taking of written minutes and provide for an
audio or audiovisual recording of all public meetings, except for executive sessions, rather than
requiring either the taking of minutes or a recording.
2. Requires an audio or audiovisual recording of a public meeting to include:
a) the date, time and place of the meeting;
b) the members of the public body recorded as present or absent;
c) a general description of the matters considered; and
d) an accurate description of all legal actions proposed, discussed or taken, including a record
of how each member voted.
3. Requires a public body to post on the public body's website, rather than make available for
public inspection:
a) the audio or audiovisual recording of a meeting or a direct link of the audio or audiovisual
recording; and
b) the minutes. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2412
Page 2
4. Requires minutes to be posted online three days following the approval of minutes, rather than
within three working days of the meeting.
5. Requires any posting required for a meeting of a public body to remain on the applicable
website for at least three years.
6. Subjects the public body of a city or town with a population of more than 2,500 persons to the
posting requirements in the same manner as other public bodies.
7. Requires a special taxing district formed for the purpose of protecting or providing services to
agricultural lands or crops (agricultural special taxing districts) to provide for the taking of
written minutes and allows an agricultural special taxing district to provide for an audio or
audiovisual recording of meetings.
8. Requires an agricultural special taxing district to make written minutes available for public
inspection within three working days following approval of the minutes and exempts an
agricultural special taxing district from posting requirements for audio or audiovisual
recordings.
9. Allows the agricultural special taxing district to post the minutes on the agricultural special
taxing district's website, if applicable.
10. Makes technical and conforming changes.
11. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
GE 2/2/22 DPA 8-5-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/23/22 34-25-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2022
MH/HW/slp