§ 44-04-19 — Access to public meetings

b. "Meeting" does not include:
(1) A chance or social gathering at which public business is not considered;
(2) Emergency operations during a disaster or emergency declared under
section 37-17.1-10 or an equivalent ordinance if a quorum of the members
of the governing body are present but are not discussing public business as
the full governing body or as a task force or working group;
(3) The attendance of members of a governing body at meetings of any
national, regional, or state association to which the public entity, the
governing body, or individual members belong;
(4) Training seminars at which no other public business is considered or
discussed; and
(5) Administration of examinations by a regulatory board when no other public
business is considered or discussed.
c. Notwithstanding subdivisions a and b, as applied to the legislative assembly,
"meeting" means any gathering subject to section 14 of article IV of the
Constitution of North Dakota.
d. Notwithstanding subdivisions a and b, "meeting" does not include any meeting of
the judicial branch or a committee or workgroup of the judicial branch. Such

meetings are governed by section 5 of article XI of the Constitution of North
Dakota.
10. "Organization or agency supported in whole or in part by public funds" means an
organization or agency in any form which has received public funds exceeding the fair
market value of any goods or services given in exchange for the public funds, whether
through grants, membership dues, fees, or any other payment. An exchange must be
conclusively presumed to be for fair market value, and does not constitute support by
public funds, when an organization or agency receives a benefit under any authorized
economic development program.
11. "Political subdivision" includes any county or city, regardless of the adoption of any
home rule charter, and any airport authority, township, school district, park district, rural
fire protection district, water resource district, solid waste management authority, rural
ambulance service district, irrigation district, hospital district, soil conservation district,
recreation service district, railroad authority, or district health unit.
12. "Public business" means all matters that relate or may foreseeably relate in any way
to:
a. The performance of the public entity's governmental functions, including any
matter over which the public entity has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or
advisory power; or
b. The public entity's use of public funds.
13. "Public entity" means all:
a. Public or governmental bodies, boards, bureaus, commissions, or agencies of the
state, including any entity created or recognized by the Constitution of North
Dakota, state statute, or executive order of the governor or any task force or
working group created by the individual in charge of a state agency or institution,
to exercise public authority or perform a governmental function;
b. Public or governmental bodies, boards, bureaus, commissions, or agencies of
any political subdivision of the state and any entity created or recognized by the
Constitution of North Dakota, state statute, executive order of the governor,
resolution, ordinance, rule, bylaw, or executive order of the chief executive
authority of a political subdivision of the state to exercise public authority or
perform a governmental function; and
c. Organizations or agencies supported in whole or in part by public funds, or
expending public funds.
14. "Public funds" means cash and other assets with more than minimal value received
from the state or any political subdivision of the state.
15. "Quorum" means one-half or more of the members of the governing body, or any
smaller number if sufficient for a governing body to transact business on behalf of the
public entity.
16. "Record" means recorded information of any kind, regardless of the physical form or
characteristic by which the information is stored, recorded, or reproduced, which is in
the possession or custody of a public entity or its agent and which has been received
or prepared for use in connection with public business or contains information relating
to public business. "Record" does not include unrecorded thought processes or mental
impressions, but does include preliminary drafts and working papers. "Record" also
does not include records in the possession of a court of this state.
17. "Sensitive image" means an image depicting an exposed intimate part, gruesome
injury, deceased individual, or a minor.
18. "Task force or working group" means a group of individuals who have been formally
appointed and delegated to meet as a group to assist, advise, or act on behalf of the
individual in charge of a state agency or institution when a majority of the members of
the group are not employees of the agency or institution.