North Dakota Code § 44-04-19

b. "Meeting" does not include:
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(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.

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