Alabama Gets A New Open Meetings Law

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It’s taken 90 years, but the State of Alabama finally has a law requiring government meetings at all levels to be open to the public. Alabama adopted one of the first open meetings laws in the nation back in 1915, but it was mostly a statement of principle, and court decisions over the years didn’t help open government advocates. The new law provides for a $1,000 fine but it still allows public bodies to vote themselves into executive session. (3/16/05)