Open Meetings Requirements for Governmental Bodies
A law adopted in the 2025 legislative session set a requirement for all new elected officials and those appointed to governmental bodies (at the city government level, common examples include library boards, planning and zoning commissions, boards of adjustments and more) to complete a training on the responsibilities and requirements for open meetings and open records laws. The training must be completed within 90 days of an official taking the oath of office or assuming the duties of their office.
The Iowa Public Information Board is responsible under the law to oversee the training requirement and provide classes. They are also allowed to authorize other entities to provide training. The law stipulates that the training must be at least one hour, but not more than two hours. The Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB), or another entity providing the training, is required to provide a certificate of course completion, and the governmental body must maintain and make these certificates of completion available for the public.
The law also requires a certificate of completion to be provided to each participant, and for governmental entities to preserve such certificates and make them available for public inspection.
The law increases civil penalties for violation of open records laws to $500-$2,500 for accidental violations and $5,000-$12,000 for knowing violations. Additionally, a member of a governmental body can be removed from office if they have engaged in prior violations for which damages were assessed.
Additional guidance on open meetings can be found in the League’s Open Meetings Guide, and Open Meetings Resource page.
More information from IPIB, including training dates, is listed on IPIB’s website.
FAQ: OMOR Training Requirement
| Who is required to complete Open Meetings/Open Records training? |
| A law adopted in the 2025 legislative session set a requirement for all new elected officials and those appointed to governmental bodies (at the city government level, common examples include library boards, planning and zoning commissions, boards of adjustments, and more) to complete training on the responsibilities and requirements for open meetings and open records laws. |
| Who are considered newly elected or appointed officials? |
| “Newly” elected or appointed officials are defined as those who are elected or appointed after July 1, 2025. Those who are reelected or reappointed to the same governmental body and were in office on July 1, 2025, are exempted from the training requirement. |
| Who counts as a member of a governmental body? |
| Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB) has ruled that members of governmental bodies include: members of state agency boards and commissions, city council members, county supervisors, township trustees, members of library boards or school board directors, drainage/levee/fire district trustees, members of subcommittees/commissions created by state/local governing bodies such as the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment, directors of select nonprofits involved in 99D/99F gambling and board members in charge of 28E entities. |
| How long do new officials have to complete the training? |
| This mandatory training must be completed within 90 days for newly elected or appointed officials. The 90 days begin from the date an individual takes the initial oath of office or assumes the responsibilities of the office. Failure to complete the training will result in a 60-day period to complete the training upon notice of the deficiency. |
| What if a currently serving member who is exempt from the training requirement does not seek reelection or reappointment but serves in the future? |
| If an inactive gap occurs after July 1, 2025, or the individual is elected/appointed to a new position with another governmental body, they must complete the training. However, completion of the training applies to all future positions. |
| Who keeps the certificate? |
| The law requires a certificate of completion to be provided to each participant, and for governmental entities to preserve such certificates and make them available for public inspection. |
| Are there penalties for failing to complete the training? |
| If an individual does not complete the training, then a fine can be assessed consistent with those for violating the open meetings law. The law increases civil penalties for violation of open records laws to $500-$2,500 for accidental violations and $5,000-$12,000 for knowing violations. |
| Who is not required to complete the training? |
| As previously detailed, those that were in office as of July 1, 2025 and then reelected or reappointed to that office are not subject to the training requirement. City employees are also not generally required to complete the training, although if a city employee is newly appointed to serve on a covered board or commission (such as a 28E board) then the training requirement would apply. |
| These training times don’t fit my schedule. Are there additional trainings available? |
| For additional training opportunities from certified trainers who have been approved by IPIB, please check IPIB’s website. |
