Establish a Legislative Commission on Legislative Security

A bill for an act

relating to legislature; establishing a Legislative Commission on Legislative

Security; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 3.

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

Section 1.

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[3.9201] LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON LEGISLATIVE SECURITY.

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Subdivision 1.

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Membership.

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(a) The Legislative Commission on Legislative Security

consists of:

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(1) six members of the senate, three of whom are appointed by the senate majority leader

and three of whom are appointed by the senate minority leader; and

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(2) six members of the house of representatives, three of whom are appointed by the

speaker of the house and three of whom are appointed by the minority leader of the house

of representatives.

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(b) Appointing authorities must make appointments by January 25 of each odd-numbered

year.

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(c) At least one member appointed by the senate majority leader and at least one member

appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives must serve on the advisory

committee on Capitol Area Security, appointed under section 299E.04, subdivision 1, at

the time of appointment to the Legislative Commission on Legislative Security.

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Subd. 2.

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Terms; vacancies.

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Members serve a two-year term beginning on appointment

in each odd-numbered year and expiring on appointment of a successor after the opening

of the next regular session of the legislature in an odd-numbered year. A vacancy in the

membership of the commission must be filled by the appointing authority for the vacant

seat for the unexpired term in a manner that will preserve the representation established by

this section.

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Subd. 3.

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Chair; officers.

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The commission must elect a chair and may elect other officers

as the commission determines necessary. The chair alternates between a member of the

senate and a member of the house of representatives in January of each odd-numbered year.

A chair shall serve a two-year term expiring upon election of a new chair after the opening

of the next regular session of the legislature in the odd-numbered year.

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Subd. 4.

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Staff; professional and technical services.

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The Legislative Coordinating

Commission must provide administrative services for the commission. The executive director

of the Legislative Coordinating Commission may contract for professional and technical

services as the commission determines is necessary to perform the duties prescribed in this

section.

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Subd. 5.

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Duties.

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At a minimum, the commission must: (1) study, research, and analyze

issues related to the security needs of state legislators and staff while in a legislative district;

and (2) review and make recommendations regarding proposed legislation that impacts

security for elected officials and staff.

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Subd. 6.

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Meetings.

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The meetings of the commission are subject to section
3.055
, except

that the commission may close a meeting when necessary to protect confidentiality of

security measures to safeguard legislators. Security records shall be maintained by the

Legislative Coordinating Commission and shall not be made available to the public until

at least eight years but no more than 20 years after the date of the closed meeting.

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Subd. 7.

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Closed meetings procedures.

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The commission must adopt procedures for

conducting closed meetings before the commission's first closed meeting. At a minimum,

the procedures must include:

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(1) a requirement to provide notice to the public, when practicable, before each closed

meeting of the commission's intent and authority to hold a closed meeting or to hold a closed

session during an otherwise open meeting;

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(2) a requirement that the commission minimize the number of people present at a closed

meeting to those necessary to conduct the meeting;

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(3) a requirement that votes shall not be taken during a closed meeting or a closed portion

of a meeting pursuant to this section;

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(4) steps the commission must take if a commission member is alleged to have violated

the confidentiality of a closed meeting; and

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(5) guidance for the Legislative Coordinating Commission for the public release of

security records following the eight-year record requirement in subdivision 6. The meetings

of the Legislative Coordinating Commission under this subdivision are exempt from section

3.055
when necessary to safeguard the confidentiality of security records.

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Subd. 8.

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Closed meeting confidentiality violations.

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Notwithstanding any law to the

contrary, if a complaint alleging a member violated the confidentiality of a closed meeting

is brought to a legislative committee with jurisdiction over ethical conduct, the committee

with jurisdiction over ethical conduct must preserve the confidentiality of the closed meeting

at issue.

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Subd. 9.

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Reporting.

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The commission must submit a report to the chairs and ranking

minority members of the Committee on Rules and Administration in the senate and the

Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration in the house of representatives by

December 31, 2027, and annually thereafter, on results of their work.

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Subd. 10.

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Expiration.

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This section expires December 31, 2035.

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