Bill > SF4361

This bill aims to improve member access to cooperative documents and meetings for electric cooperatives in Minnesota. Key provisions include: 1. Requiring electric cooperatives with more than 50,000 members to hold open board meetings, with the ability to close portions for certain reasons like discussing personnel matters or threatened litigation. Cooperatives must also provide remote participation options for members. 2. Mandating that cooperatives maintain certain documents, such as their articles of incorporation, bylaws, and financial statements, on their website and allow members to access them. Cooperatives must also provide information about upcoming board meetings, how to contact directors, and voting procedures. 3. Giving members the right to access the cooperative's membership list, provided they meet certain requirements, such as using the list for a purpose relevant to their membership. 4. Allowing members to nominate board of director candidates through a petition signed by at least 40 members. 5. Requiring cooperatives to develop a secure voting system for members to vote in board elections by mail and online. 6. Obligating cooperatives to notify members annually of their capital credit allocations and respond to member requests to calculate their cumulative capital credits. The bill aims to enhance transparency and member engagement in the governance and operations of electric cooperatives in Minnesota.