8TH
CIRCUIT DISMISSES LAWSUIT FILED BY FEMALE INMATES
July 2, 2009
The 8th Circuit court of appeals today dismissed a class action
lawsuit filed against the state by female inmates. The inmates
had alleged discriminatory conditions in the programs and
facilities operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
(DOCR). “The 8th Circuit has affirmed that the DOCR’s
decisions regarding housing and programming for female inmates
are based on sound correctional policies for a growing female
inmate population,” said Stenehjem.
For
more information: 8th
Circuit Decision
Read
the Decision
NO
VIOLATION FOR MANDAN CITY COMMISSION
July
2, 2009
The Mandan City Commission’s Firework Committee did
not violate the open meetings laws because its meeting notices
were properly posted and filed, concluded Attorney General
Stenehjem, noting that the committee held its last meeting
the day before the requestor asked to receive notice of meetings.
Read
the Opinion: 2009-O-10
MANDAN
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION
July
1, 2009
Present school board members whose terms have expired may
hold over in office until their successors are elected and
qualified, concluded Attorney General Stenehjem, addressing
concerns about the postponed election. He further concluded
that board members elected in the postponed election will
have the same term of office but serve less than three years.
Read
the Opinion: 2009-L-10
NO
VIOLATION FOR RAGING RIVERS MEETINGS
July
1, 2009
The Mandan Park Board did not violate the open meetings laws
while it was in the process of negotiating with the sellers
of the Raging Rivers Water Park, concluded Attorney General
Wayne Stenehjem.
Read
the Opinion: 2009-O-09
USE
OF E911 FEES
July
1, 2009
The proceeds of a 911 surcharge fee may be used to acquire,
construct or lease space to operate an emergency services
communication system, concluded Attorney General Stenehjem.
The city of Grand Forks is seeking to expand its current system.
Read
the Opinion: 2009-L-09
STENEHJEM
TO ATTEND TRI-NATIONAL DRUG MEETING
June
18, 2009
At the invitation of the Conference of Western Attorneys General
(CWAG), Stenehjem will accompany a delegation of Mexican Attorneys
General and Italian prosecutors to Rome, Palermo and Calabria,
Italy, for a weeklong conference to discuss efforts to battle
organized crime. Stenehjem arrives in Rome on June 23, 2009,
for the conference. “Drugs and organized crime go hand
in hand. While North Dakota has far less organized crime activity
than other states, our state sees the end result of the activities
of the drug cartels. Most of the illegal drugs that reach
North Dakota come from these operations, especially those
operating out of Mexico,” Stenehjem said.
For
more information: Tri-National
Drug Meeting
UND
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
June
15, 2009
The University of North Dakota’s Alumni Association
and the UND Foundation are both agents of UND and therefore
violated the open records laws by refusing to provide a copy
of a contract with a software vendor, concluded Attorney General
Stenehjem.
Read
the Opinion: 2009-O-08
