Iowa Code
Iowa Code § 21.3 (2026)
Meetings of governmental bodies
✓ current as of July 2026
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1. Meetings of governmental bodies shall be preceded by public notice as provided in section 21.4 and shall be held in open session unless closed sessions are expressly permitted by law. Except as provided in section 21.5, all actions and discussions at meetings of governmental bodies, whether formal or informal, shall be conducted and executed in open session. 2. Each governmental body shall keep minutes of all its meetings showing the date, time and place, the members present, and the action taken at each meeting. The minutes shall show the results of each vote taken and information sufficient to indicate the vote of each member present. The vote of each member present shall be made public at the open session. The minutes shall be public records open to public inspection. [C71, 73, 75, 77, §28A.1, 28A.5; C79, 81, §28A.3] C85, §21.3 93 Acts, ch 25, §2; 2020 Acts, ch 1062, §94 Referred to in §372.13
\nNotes of Decisions
Cited in 19
cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1969–2026 · leading case: Mason v. Vision Iowa Bd., 700 N.W.2d 349 (Iowa 2005).
Mason v. Vision Iowa Bd., 700 N.W.2d 349 (Iowa 2005). “” Iowa Code § 21.3 ; see also id. § 21.5(1) (listing acceptable reasons for closed session, none of which are implicated here).”
City of Postville, Iowa & Jason Meyer v. Upper Explorerland Reg'l Plan. Comm'n, Martin Brennan, Kathy Campbell, Ray Whalen, Leon Griebenow, Andrew Wenthe, Karla Organist, Warren Steffen, Michael Kenedy, Janet McGovern, Dean Darling, Les Askelson, & Randy Uhl, 834 N.W.2d 1 (Iowa 2013). “In the amended answer, the Commission admitted that by taking a vote in writing with anonymity, the Commission violated section 21.3 because each individual defendant was required to state their vote in open session.”
Berge v. Harris, 170 N.W.2d 621 (Iowa 1969). “) In addition these same authors state at section 21.3, page 1174, that: " The key is to be found in the character of the relationship between the parties and their respective duties in the light of it.”
Socony Vacuum Oil Co. v. State, 170 N.W.2d 378 (Iowa 1969). “This position is supported in 5 Nicholson Eminent Domain, section 21.3(1), pp. 435-36: "It has been objected that comparable sales which reflect an enhanced value brought about by the making of the improvement should not be admissible.”
State v. Allan, 166 N.W.2d 752 (Iowa 1969). “Basis for the claimed illegality is that the 62d General Assembly by chapter 199, section 21.3 amended the statute by striking the last three words “he becomes sane,” and inserting in lieu thereof: “he demonstrates good mental health and is considered no longer dangerous to the…”
City of Dubuque v. Dubuque Racing Ass'n, 420 N.W.2d 450 (Iowa 1988). “11 (racing and gaming); public scrutiny of certain state agencies and commissions; see Iowa Code §§ 21.3 , 22.1; see also 491 Iowa Admin.”
Donahue v. State, Bd. of Regents, 474 N.W.2d 537 (Iowa 1991). “Iowa Code section 21.3 provides that meetings of governmental bodies “shall be held in open session unless closed sessions are expressly permitted by law” and all informal as well as formal actions and discussions of the bodies “shall be conducted and executed in open session.”
Feller v. Scott Cnty. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 435 N.W.2d 387 (Iowa Ct. App. 1988). “Section 21.3 states that all governmental meetings are to be conducted in open session, subject however to the exceptions delineated in section 21.”
Wells v. Dallas Cnty. Bd. of Adjustment, 475 N.W.2d 680 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). “The decision was not made at an open meeting as required by Iowa Code section 21.3. Nor was there a showing of unnecessary hardship as required by Iowa Code section 414.”
James W. Olinger & Larry C. Meyer, plaintiffs-appellants/cross-appellees v. Robert Smith, Walter Utman, Gaylord Pitt, Harrison Cnty., Iowa, & Utman Drainage Dist., defendants-appellees/cross-appellants., 892 N.W.2d 775 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). “§ 21.3. An “[o]pen session” is defined as “a meeting to which all members of the public have access.”
James W. Olinger & Larry C. Meyer v. Robert Smith, Walter Utman & Gaylord Pitt, Harrison Cnty., Iowa & Utman Drainage Dist., 889 N.W.2d 476 (Iowa Ct. App. 2015). “Iowa Code section 21.3 requires meetings of governmental bodies to be held in open session unless closed sessions are expressly permitted by law.”
Jim Nahas v. Polk Cnty., Iowa (Iowa 2023). “Nahas claims that the Board met in a secret, unauthorized closed session and thereby violated Iowa Code section 21.3. But the basis for this allegation is a statement by the Polk County Administrator that the Board made the decision to terminate Nahas.”
— Iowa Code § 21.3(1) — 2 cases
Socony Vacuum Oil Co. v. State, 170 N.W.2d 378 (Iowa 1969). “This position is supported in 5 Nicholson Eminent Domain, section 21.3(1), pp. 435-36: "It has been objected that comparable sales which reflect an enhanced value brought about by the making of the improvement should not be admissible.”
Hotchkiss v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist. (N.D. Iowa 2023).
— Iowa Code § 21.3(2) — 2 cases
Amie Villarini v. Iowa City Cmty. Sch. Dist. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
Amie Villarini v. Iowa City Cmty. Sch. Dist. (Iowa 2025).
— Iowa Code § 21.3(a)(2) — 1 case
James W. Olinger & Larry C. Meyer, plaintiffs-appellants/cross-appellees v. Robert Smith, Walter Utman, Gaylord Pitt, Harrison Cnty., Iowa, & Utman Drainage Dist., defendants-appellees/cross-appellants., 892 N.W.2d 775 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). “§ 21.3. An “[o]pen session” is defined as “a meeting to which all members of the public have access.”
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