Public comment periods to be required at all local board meetings in North Dakota

Beginning Aug. 1, all local public boards in North Dakota will be required to offer a public comment period at each meeting, according to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor. The mandate, established under Senate Bill 2180 and signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong on April 30, applies to all public boards, including school districts, park districts, and water resource boards.

The new law allows boards to limit comments by total time, individual speaking time or both, and restricts topics to agenda items from the current or previous meeting. Boards must also establish public comment policies that prohibit defamatory or disruptive remarks, the North Dakota Monitor reported.