B. Any other statutory requirements for closed or open meetings

Many of the statutes listed below contain an express, unconditional requirement that all meetings of the pertinent body be open to the public. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled, however, that these statutes must be read in pari materia with the former open meetings law, which permitted closure when the character or good name of a person was involved. Miglionico v. Birmingham News Co., 378 So. 2d 677, 680 (Ala. 1979). Because the former open meetings law has been repealed, these statutes probably should now be read in pari materia with the Alabama Open Meetings Act.

Likewise, notwithstanding the exceptions in the Alabama Open Meetings Act for closed discussions, a number of statutes specifically provide for closed meetings.

Statutes that provide expressly for open or closed meetings are as follows:

1. Agriculture

a. Open: Alabama Agricultural and Conservation Development Commission: All proceedings except that executive or secret sessions may be held when the character or good name of a person is involved. Ala. Code § 9-8A-3(e).

b. Open: Alabama Agricultural Development Authority: All meetings of the Board of the Authority. Ala. Code § 2-3A-7(b) (1999).

2. Attorneys and Judges

a. Open: Alabama Court of Judiciary: Hearings on a complaint — i.e., a formal written charge filed by the Judicial Inquiry Commission. Rules of Procedure of the Alabama Court of the Judiciary 9.

b. Closed: Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission: All proceedings except the filing of a complaint. Ala. Const. of 1901, amend. no. 328, § 6.17(b); see also id. amend. no. 581.

c. Closed: Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission: All proceedings except the filing of a complaint with the Court of the Judiciary. Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission Rule 5.

d. Closed: Alabama State Client Security Fund Committee: All proceedings involving applications for reimbursement, unless the lawyer whose alleged conduct gave rise to the claim for reimbursement requests that the matter be made public. Alabama State Bar Client Security Fund Rule XI.

3. Banking

a. Closed: State Banking Board: All proceedings regarding unsafe and unsound conditions at a bank and correction of those conditions, including proceedings for removal of a director or officer of a bank. Ala. Code § 5-2A-12(c); Op. Att’y Gen. Ala., 2009-106 (State Banking Board exempted from publicly voting to enter executive session and giving notice of executive session when deliberating issues enumerated in Ala. Code §§ 5-2A-12 and 5-8A-20).

4. Conservation and Environmental Control

a. Open: Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust Board of Trustees: Annual meeting at which annual report is presented. Ala. Const. of 1901 amend. no. 543, § 5(d).

b. Closed: Solid waste disposal authorities: All meetings of the board. Ala. Code § 11-89A-6(c).

c. Open: Solid waste management plan: Meeting at which any determination is made by the local governing body of the proposed issuance of or modification of a permit for a new or existing solid waste management site or the proposal to contract for any services described in the solid waste management plan. Ala. Code § 22-27-48(a).

d. Open: Solid waste management plan: Any meeting at which the governing body of the jurisdiction adopts a request for waiver of a moratorium. Ala. Code § 22-27-49(a).

e. Open: Southeast Interstate Low-level Radioactive Waste Management Compact Commission: All meetings. Ala. Code § 22-32-1, art. IV, § d.

5. Courts

a. Open: Bail: Bail hearings. Ala. Code § 15-13 -143.

b. Closed: Civil court mediation: Mediation sessions. Alabama Civil Court Mediation Rules 10.

c. Closed: Court: Hearing on the merits of a petition to direct that the victim of a crime or any other witness not be compelled to testify or that facts that could divulge the identity of the victim or other related information not be revealed. Ala. Code § 15-23-69.

d. Open: Court: When a defendant in a criminal matter appears via audio-video communication device, rather than being physically present, for any proceeding that is required to be open to the public, television monitors shall be situated in the courtroom and at the place of incarceration to ensure the public, the court, and the defendant a clear view of the proceedings. Ala. Code § 15-26-6.

e. Closed: Grand juries: All proceedings. Ala. Code § 12-16-214.

f. Open: Probate court: All hearings regarding petitions to commit persons to the custody of the Alabama Department of Public Health or such other facility because of a "notifiable disease" problem, unless the person sought to be committed or that person's attorney requests in writing that the hearings be closed. Ala. Code § 22-11A-31(4).

g. Open: Probate court: All hearings, including probable cause hearings, in relation to a petition to involuntarily commit a person to a state mental health institution, unless the subject of the petition or that person's attorney requests in writing that the hearings be closed. Ala. Code § 22-52-9(4).

6. Education

a. Open: County boards of education: Meetings. Ala. Code § 16-8-4.

b. Open: State Board of Education: Meeting at which textbooks are adopted. Ala. Code § 16-36-61.

7. Elections

8. Government, Local

a. Open: Boards of adjustment: All meetings. Ala. Code § 11-52-80(b).

b. Open: City council in council-manager form of government: All meetings. Ala. Code § 11-43A-21.

c. Open: City council in council-manager form of government: Regular meetings, with a regular date and hour publicly announced. Ala. Code § 11-43A-24.

d. Open: City council in council-manager form of government: All meetings, to the extent required by law. Ala. Code § 11-43A-87.

e. Open: City council in council-manager form of government: Regular meetings, with a regular day and hour publicly announced. Ala. Code § 11-43A-90.

f. Open: City council in mayor/commission/city manager form of government in class 5 municipalities: Regular meetings; every meeting at which a resolution, bylaw or ordinance is enacted granting any franchise, appropriating any money for any purpose, providing for any public improvements, concerning the public health, or of any other general or permanent nature. Ala. Code § 11-44E-51.

g. Open: City council in mayor/council form of government: Meetings. Ala. Code § 11-43-49.

h. Open: City council in mayor-council form of government in class 5 municipalities: All meetings. Ala. Code § 11-43C-25.

i. Open: City council in mayor-council form of government in class 5 municipalities: Regular weekly meetings, with a regular hour publicly announced. Ala. Code § 11-43C-28.

j. Open: City council in mayor-council form of government in class 4 municipalities: Regular meetings and adjourned, called, or other meetings, complying with all applicable law concerning open or public meetings. Ala. Code § 11-44B-6(a) and (b).

k. Open: City council in mayor-council form of government in class 2 municipalities: All meetings. Ala. Code § 11-44C-25.

l. Open: City council in mayor-council form of government in class 2 municipalities: Regular weekly meetings, with the hour publicly announced; every meeting at which a resolution, bylaw or ordinance is enacted granting any franchise, appropriating any money for any purpose, providing for any public improvements, regulation concerning the public health, or of any general or permanent nature. Ala. Code § 11-44C-28.

9. Government, State

a. Open: Administrative procedure: Contested cases: Oral proceedings, unless private hearings are otherwise authorized by law. Ala. Code § 41-22-12(h).

b. Open: Alabama Housing Finance Authority Board: All meetings, with notice. Ala. Code § 24-1A-4(d).

c. Open: Alabama Shakespeare Festival Theatre Finance Authority: All meetings for any purpose. Ala. Code § 41-10-205(b).

d. Open: Beautification Board of the State of Alabama: All meetings. Ala. Code § 41-9-494.

10. Handicapped Persons

a. Open: Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind: Meetings at which bids are taken or opened for all contracts for the sale or disposal of tangible personal property or standing timber owned by the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. Ala. Code § 21-1-80.

11. Health Care

a. Open: Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech Pathologists and Audiologists: All meetings, except meetings for the Board to prepare, approve, grade, or administer examinations or, upon a request of an applicant who has failed an examination, to prepare a response indicating the reason for failure. Ala. Code § 34-28A-40(d).

b. Open: Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners: All meetings, with notice. Ala. Code § 34-30-56.

c. Closed: Alabama Impaired Physicians Committee: All proceedings. Ala. Code § 34-24-404.

d. Open: Alabama Public Health Finance Authority: Meetings to consider reduction of an allocation to a county or municipality by more than five percent or $50,000, whichever is less. Ala. Code § 22-3A-19(c)(3).

e. Open: Alabama State Board of Pharmacy: Meetings, with notice. Ala. Code § 34-23-91.

f. Open: County and municipal hospital authorities: All meetings of the board of directors, except as otherwise provided by law. Ala. Code § 22-21-175(d).

g. Closed: Driver License Medical Advisory Board: Meetings in which reports are received for the purpose of determining the medical condition of an applicant for license and registration. Ala. Code § 32-6-46.

h. Open: Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Meetings. Ala. Code § 21-3A-4(e).

i. Closed: Physician/dentist/chiropractor peer review, utilization, and quality control committees: All proceedings. Ala. Code § 6-5-333(d).

j. Closed: State Board of Medical Examiners: Hearings of the Medical Licensure Commission. Ala. Code § 34-24-361.1.

k. Open: Statewide Health Coordinating Council: All meetings. Ala. Code § 22-4-7.

l. Closed: State Health Officer: All meetings of an expert review panel established to evaluate an infected health care worker and all hearings, administrative proceedings, and deliberations of the State Committee of Public Health in connection with the appeal from the final order of the State Health Officer regarding the infected health care worker. Ala. Code § 22-11A-63(d) and (g).

m. Closed: State Health Officer: All proceedings related to the investigation and review of any infected health care worker. Ala. Code § 22-11A-69(a).

12. Historic Preservation

a. Open: Historic preservation commissions and architectural review boards: Meetings of the commission, with notice. Ala. Code § 11-68-3(j).

b. Open: Historic preservation commissions and architectural review boards: All meetings of the commission at which applications for certificates of appropriateness are considered by the commission, with notice. Ala. Code § 11-68-9(d).

c. Open: Historic preservation commissions and architectural review boards: Meetings of the board, with notice. Ala. Code § 11-68-13(j).

13. Industry

a. Open: Boards of city commercial development authorities: All meetings for any purpose. Ala. Code § 11-54-178(c).

b. Open: City industrial development boards: Any meeting held for any purpose whatsoever. Ala. Code § 11-54-87(c).

c. Open: Promotion of economic and industrial development in certain counties and municipalities: Any meeting of the governing body of a county or municipality named in the amendment that approves the sale of real property acquired by authority of this amendment for a sale price less than its actual purchase and development cost. Ala. Const. of 1901, amend. no. 429(a).

14. Insurance

a. Optional: Department of Commissioner of Insurance: Hearings of grievances against the Department or its actions may be closed at the Commissioner's discretion, except that a hearing shall be open if so requested in writing by any party to the hearing. Ala. Code § 27-2-30(b).

15. Juveniles

a. Open: Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board: All meetings, with notice. Ala. Code § 26-16-5(a).

b. Closed: Court: All proceedings regarding a minor's petition for waiver of parental consent to abortion. Ala. Code § 26-21-4(o).

c. Closed: Department of Human Resources: Investigative hearing regarding child abuse or neglect allegedly committed by person connected with a childcare facility. Ala. Code § 26-14-7.1(6).

16. Pardons and Paroles

a. Open: Board of Pardons and Paroles: Any meeting of the Board at which the Board tentatively approves, grants, or orders any pardon, parole, remission of fine or other forfeiture or restoration of civil and political rights. Ala. Code § 15-22-23(b)(1).

17. Parks, Recreation and Racing

a. Open: Municipal racing commissions: All meetings of the host county house or senate delegation called or held to appoint members of the commission. Ala. Code § 11-65-5(a).

b. Closed: Municipal racing commissions: Deliberations to suspend or revoke any license, fine the holder of a license, or review the performance of a licensee, unless otherwise requested by the licensee. Ala. Code § 11-65-21.

c. Open: Public park and recreation boards: Any meeting held for any purpose whatsoever. Ala. Code § 11-60-7.

d. Open: Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau: Ala. Att’y Gen. Op. 2019-018.

18. Railroads

a. Open: Northeast Mississippi-Northwest Alabama Railroad Authority Compact Board: Meetings. Ala. Code § 37-11A-1, art. IV.

19. State Property and Contracts

a. Open: Alabama Department of Transportation: Meetings at which bids are taken or opened for the sale of surplus personal property. Ala. Code § 23-1-66(c).

b. Open: Competitive bidding on contracts of certain state and local agencies: Meetings at which bids are opened. Ala. Code § 41-16-54(b).

c. Open: Competitive bidding on public contracts: Meetings at which bids are opened. Ala. Code § 41-16-24(b).

d. Closed: Contracts related to security: If the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency determines that a contract has a direct impact on the security or safety of persons or facilities and requires confidential handling, records of bidding and award are not public and remain confidential. Ala. Code § 39-2-2(g); see also Ala. Att’y Gen. Op. 2019-048 & 2020-015.

e. Open: Disposition of surplus personal property owned by state: Meetings at which bids are taken or opened. Ala. Code § 41-16-123(3).

f. Open: State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Parks Division: Opening of all bids for contracts for the maintenance and operation of concessions within state park areas, at the hour stated in the notice. Ala. Code § 9-14-22(b).

g. Open: State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Lands Division: Acceptance and opening of bids for the sale or lease of state land. Ala. Code § 9-15-78.

20. Veterinarians

a. Open: Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners: Meetings of the Board, except meetings for the Board to prepare, approve, administer, or grade examinations or to deliberate qualifications of a proceeding to discipline a licensed veterinarian or any other person licensed under this article. Ala. Code § 34-29-66(b)(6).

Various statutory provisions require closed proceedings in certain contexts. For example, multidisciplinary child protection teams are created by the Department of Health and Social Services to assist in the evaluation and investigation of reports of harm to children made under AS 47.17 and to provide consultation and coordination for agencies involved in child protection cases under AS 47.10, the child-in-need-of-aid statute. AS 47.14.300. Meetings of a team are closed to the public and are not subject to the provisions of AS 44.62.310 and 44.62.312, the OMA. AS 47.14.300(e). Similarly, meetings of the state child fatality review team are closed to the public and are not subject to the provisions of AS 44.62.310 and 44.62.312. AS 12.65.140(c), as are meetings of domestic violence fatality review teams. AS 18.66.400(d).

Whenever circumstances subject a child to the jurisdiction of the court under the child-in-need-of-aid (CINA) statute, AS 47.10.005 - 47.10.142, a preliminary inquiry and report may result in informal or formal hearings and proceedings. CINA hearings are now presumptively open to the public, except as provided in the CINA statute and unless prohibited by federal or state law, court order or court rule. AS 47.10.070(a). The CINA statute provides that child-in-need-of-aid cases are closed to the public during (1) the initial court hearing after the filing of a petition to commence the child-in-need-of-aid case; (2) a hearing following the initial hearing in which a parent, child or other party to the case is present but has not had an opportunity to obtain legal representation; or (3) a hearing, or a part of a hearing, for which the court issues a written order finding that allowing the hearing, or part of the hearing, to be open to the public would reasonably be expected to (A) stigmatize or be emotionally damaging to a child; (B) inhibit a child's testimony in that hearing; (C) disclose matters otherwise required to be kept confidential by state or federal statute or regulation, court order, or court rule; or (D) interfere with a criminal investigation or proceeding or a criminal defendant's right to a fair trial in a criminal proceeding. AS 47.10.070(c). If a hearing, or part of a hearing, in a child-in-need-of-aid case is not closed under this subsection .070(c), the court shall hear in camera any information offered regarding the location, or readily leading to the location, of a parent, child or other party to the case who is a victim of domestic violence or whose safety or welfare may be endangered by public release of the information. Access to testimony heard in camera under this subsection is limited to the court and authorized court personnel. AS 47.10.070(d). Notwithstanding any other provision of the CINA statute, a person attending a hearing open to the public may not disclose a name, picture or other information that would readily lead to the identification of a child who is the subject of the child-in-need-of-aid case. At the beginning of the hearing, the court must issue an order specifying the restrictions necessary to comply with this subsection. If a person violates the order, the court may impose any appropriate sanction, including contempt and closure of any further hearings to the person. AS 47.10.070(f). Also, the CINA statute provides for adjudication hearings to determine whether the child is or is not a child in need of aid, and, if so, to determine an appropriate disposition for the matter, which might include releasing the child to parents or others, making the child a ward of the state, committing the child to the custody of the Department of Health and Social Services, to a foster home, and hearings concerning a "permanency plan" for the child or termination of parental rights. A hearing conducted under this section is open to the public unless an exception provided in AS 47.10.070 (c) applies to make the hearing closed to the public or unless prohibited by federal or state statute or regulation. AS 47.10.080(u).

Notwithstanding section .110(a), a court hearing on a petition seeking the adjudication of a minor as a delinquent shall be open to the public, except as prohibited or limited by order of the court, if (1) the department files with the court a motion asking the court to open the hearing to the public, and the petition seeking adjudication of the minor as a delinquent is based on (A) the minor's alleged commission of an offense, and the minor has knowingly failed to comply with all the terms and conditions required of the minor by the department or imposed on the minor in a court order; (B) the minor's alleged commission of (i) a crime against a person that is punishable as a felony; (ii) a crime in which the minor employed a deadly weapon (b), in committing the crime; (iii) arson; (iv) burglary; (v) distribution of child pornography; (vi) promoting prostitution in the first degree; or (vii) misconduct involving a controlled substance under AS 11.71 involving the delivery of a controlled substance or the possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; or (C) the minor's alleged commission of a felony and the minor was 16 years of age or older at the time of commission of the offense when the minor has previously been convicted or adjudicated a delinquent minor based on the minor's commission of an offense that is a felony; or (2) the minor agrees to a public hearing on the petition seeking adjudication of the minor as a delinquent, AS 47.12.110(d), or when the district attorney has elected to seek imposition of a dual sentence and a petition has been filed under AS 47.12.065, or when a minor agrees as part of a plea agreement to be subject to dual sentencing. AS 47.12.110(e).

There are isolated other statutory provisions in laws governing various agencies that allow for closed proceedings. See, e.g., AS 14.20.180(d, e) (a tenured teacher notified of dismissal or nonretention can demand a hearing and require that the hearing be either public or private). Also, a number of statutes give the person or entity whose rights are the subject of or affected by the proceedings to choose to have the proceedings open. For example, upon receipt of a proper petition for a civil commitment for mental health reasons, the court holds a hearing, at which the respondent, the person to be committed, has certain rights, including the right to have the hearing open or closed to the public as the respondent elects. AS 47.30.735(b)(3).

A meeting of the Board of Agriculture and Conservation to act on applications for loans is exempt from the public meeting requirements of the Open Meetings Act. AS 03.10.050(c).

Meetings of public electric and telephone cooperatives are required to be open, but under the provisions of the corporate code governing utility cooperatives, not the OMA. See AS 10.25.175. The most significant effect of this distinction is that only "members" of the cooperative are entitled to attend board meetings. Zoerb v. Chugach Electric Ass'n Inc., 798 P. 2d 1258 (Alaska 1990) (employee of electric cooperative properly excluded from meeting because he was not a member). Other differences between the open meetings provisions of Title 10 and Title 44 (OMA) are that the section governing utility cooperatives applies only to meetings at which a quorum of the board is present, discussions between the Board and its attorney can be closed if disclosure would have an immediate adverse effect, only "formal action" is prohibited in executive sessions, and action taken contrary to the statute is not void if other equitable relief is available. Co-op board members may be subject to recall for violations of open meetings rules governing utility cooperatives found in Title 10 or in utility by-laws, as public officials may be for alleged violations of the OMA. Cf., section IV.C.11, infra.

Closed Meeting Requirements:

1. Student disciplinary, suspension or expulsion proceedings can be done in executive session, unless, subject to some exceptions, the parent or guardian wants an open meeting.  A.R.S. § 15-843(A), (G).  Notice and minutes are required.  A.R.S. § 15-843(A).
2. A school board’s review of teacher decision either to promote or retain (i.e., flunking) a student in elementary school or to pass or fail a student in a high school course can be done in an executive session, unless the parent, guardian, or emancipated student wants an open meeting. A.R.S. § 15-342(11).
3. Meetings of advisory committees of the Arizona Board of Regents may be held in executive sessions, except that a student whose records are being discussed may request an open meeting.  A.R.S. § 15-1624.
4. Emergency ringside meetings by Arizona State Boxing Commission are exempt from the OML. A.R.S. § 5-223(B).
5. Conference call meetings of the board of trustees for the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System “that are held for investment purposes only” are not subject to the OML, except that the minutes shall be available for public inspection within 24 hours after the meeting. A.R.S. § 38-848(H).  The board must ratify all legal actions taken during these conference calls at the next regular public meeting.  Id.
6. A subcommittee of the military family relief advisory committee may meet in executive session without providing advance notice.  A.R.S. § 41-608.04(E).  If notice is provided, the full advisory committee can meet in executive session “to review and evaluate applications or review recommendations of the subcommittee.”  Id.
7. “The constitutional defense council shall brief the joint legislative budget committee in executive session regarding contracts for legal representation over the amount of fifty thousand dollars.”  A.R.S. § 41-401(L).
8. “[T]he director of the department of administration shall meet with and review for the joint legislative budget committee in executive session the planned contribution strategy for each health plan, including indemnity health insurance, hospital and medical service plans, dental plans and health maintenance organizations.”  A.R.S. § 38-658(A).
9. The Agricultural Employment Relations Board may meet in executive session by majority vote.  A.R.S. § 23-1386(G).
10. Hearings may be by closed at the discretion of the director of the Department of Insurance, “but the hearing shall be open to the public if so requested in writing by any principal party to the hearing.”  A.R.S. § 20-164(A).
11. Informal conferences of advisory committees to the Board of Technical Registration are confidential and closed to the public.  A.R.S. § 32-129(C).
12. Meetings of the property and casualty insurance guaranty fund in which any member insurer’s financial condition is discussed are closed to the public.  A.R.S. § 20-671.

Open Meeting Requirements:

1. The Arizona Corporation Commission’s meeting are “open to the public.”  A.R.S. § 40-102(B).
2. Before promulgating rules, state agencies must permit public participation by providing an opportunity to submit written statements and, if requested, to present oral testimony. A.R.S. § 41-1023.  A similar requirement is imposed on air pollution control officers for proposed rules or ordinance making actions.  A.R.S. § 49-471.06.
3. A school board must require that all committee meetings authorized for textbook review and selection are open to the public.  A.R.S. § 15-721(F)(2).
4. Dental Board’s meetings must be conducted pursuant to the OML.  A.R.S. § 32-1205(B).  In addition, meetings of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners, and the Board of Respiratory Care Examiners generally are open to the public.  A.R.S. §§ 32-902(B), 32-3402(D), 32-3503(B).
5. Other than meetings to interview candidates or to make preliminary selections, meetings of the Ombudsman-Citizens Aide Selection Committee are open to the public.  A.R.S. § 41-1373(C).
6. Except when reviewing a domestic violence fatality case, the public may attend meetings of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams.  A.R.S. § 41-198(F).
7. Hearings held as a result of any inspection pertaining to the safety and health of workers exposed to pesticides and any other safety and health issue not covered by the industrial commission are open to the public.  A.R.S. § 3-3107(F).
8. The public may attend meetings and access records of community based alternative programs for juveniles.  A.R.S. § 8-321(I)(5).
9. All proceedings of the County Sports Authority are open to the public.  A.R.S. § 11-702(D)(2).
10. Several statutes contain provisions mandating public access to specific meetings, including (1) the Advisory Council on Indian Health Care (A.R.S. § 36-2902.01(H)); (2) the Merit System Council for Law Enforcement Officers (A.R.S. § 38-1002(D)); (3) the Personnel Board (A.R.S. § 41-781(C)); and (4) board meetings for stadium districts (A.R.S. § 48-4203(D)(2)) and for public health services districts (A.R.S. § 48-5804(A)(2)).
11. “To ensure transparency, the [Independent Redistricting] Commission must conduct it business ‘in meetings open to the public, with 48 or more hours public notice provided.’”  Ariz. Minority Coal. for Fair Redistricting v. Ariz. Indep. Redistricting Comm’n, 220 Ariz. 587, 591, 208 P.3d 676, 680 (2009) (quoting Ariz. Const. art. 4, pt. 2, § 1(12)).

(1) Like the open records provisions of the FOIA, the act’s open meeting section incorporates other statutes that permit or require closed meetings. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-106(a), meetings must be open to the public “[e]xcept as otherwise specifically provided by law.” The phrase “by law” has been interpreted to mean “by statute,” and the statute must be specific in creating the exemption. Laman v. McCord, 245 Ark. 401, 432 S.W.2d 753 (1968) (statute creating an evidentiary privilege for attorney-client communications is not an exemption that would allow a governing body to meet with its attorney in private). See also Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 2001-040 (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-10-314(a)(1), which provides that “information obtained by the Director of the Arkansas Employment Security Department . . . shall be held confidential,” does not authorize closed meetings); Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 97-298 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, neither qualifies as an exemption nor supersedes the FOIA under the Supremacy Clause).

(2) Hundreds of Arkansas statutes make some reference to public hearings or public meetings, but most either state simply that an entity is to conduct its business in public, e.g., Ark. Code Ann. § 23-110-203(a)(1) (Arkansas Racing Commission), or set forth an agency’s obligation to hold meetings without specifying whether they are to be open or closed, e.g., Ark. Code Ann. § 3-2-201(e) (Alcoholic Beverage Control Board). Under these statutes, the FOIA plainly demands an open meeting unless the personnel exemption or another statutory exemption applies.

(3) More than a dozen statutes qualify as exemptions to the FOIA. Also, the constitution specifically gives discretion to both houses of the legislature and committees of the whole to meet in private “when the business is such as ought to be kept secret.” Ark. Const. art. V, § 13. Exemptions enacted after June 30, 2009 must cite the FOIA. Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-110. Illustrative statutes include:

(a) Ark. Code Ann. § 2-7-202(c) (mediation sessions conducted by Arkansas Farm Mediation Office).

(b) Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-507(d)(2) (school boards may meet in executive session in student expulsion cases “if requested by the parent or guardian of the student”). See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. Nos. 96-009, 87-478. As amended in 1997, Section 6-18-507 draws a distinction between a suspension from school (dismissal not to exceed 10 days) and an expulsion (dismissal for more than 10 days). The provision for closed meetings appears in paragraph (d), which deals with expulsions. A circuit court has held that the statute “provides for an executive session only in the case of expulsion hearings” and that a school board must meet in public when considering an appeal from a student who has been suspended. Troutt Brothers Inc. v. Valley View School Dist., No. CIV-2000-343(F) (Craighead County Cir. Ct., July 2, 2000).

(c) Ark. Code Ann. § 8-7-1012(c) (administrative hearings conducted by Department of Labor under Public Employees’ Chemical Right to Know Act).

(d) Ark. Code Ann. § 10-3-305(a) (meetings of Legislative Council).

(e) Ark. Code Ann. § 14-14-109(a)(2) (county quorum court meetings involving personnel). See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 97-080.

(f) Ark. Code Ann. § 16-10-404(b)(2) (preliminary proceedings of Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission are confidential, and commission members may deliberate in executive session at the close of public hearings). If a judge waives the statutory right to a closed probable-cause hearing, then the hearing must be public. Griffen v. Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Comm’n, 368 Ark. 557, 247 S.W.3d 816 (2007).

(g) Ark. Code Ann. § 16-46-105(a) (meetings of hospital medical review committees are exempt from the FOIA). A previous version of this statute had been held insufficiently specific to qualify as an FOIA exemption, Baxter County Newspapers Inc. v. Medical Staff of Baxter Gen. Hospital, 273 Ark. 511, 622 S.W.2d 495 (1981), but the amended statute passes muster. Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 2000-271.

(h) Ark. Code Ann. § 17-14-205(b) (disciplinary hearings conducted by Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board).

(i) Ark. Code Ann. § 23-2-316(b) (proceedings of Public Service Commission).

(j) Ark. Code Ann. § 23-42-203(e) (hearings held by Securities Commissioner).

(k) Ark. Code Ann. § 23-51-112(a) (hearings held by Bank Commissioner under Trust Institutions Act must be closed with respect to “a matter made confidential by law”).

(l) Ark. Code Ann. § 23-90-107(b)(3) (meetings of Arkansas Property & Casualty Advisory Association).

(m) Ark. Code Ann. § 25-17-208(b) (meetings to consider certain personnel matters by state boards and commissions whose members receive no compensation). See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 96-317.

(4) If an executive session is held pursuant to one of these statutes, the governing body may presumably permit anyone to attend, unless the statute provides otherwise. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-106(c)(2) specifying those persons who may attend a closed meeting apply only to executive sessions under the personnel exemption. See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 96-009. But see Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 87-478. Similarly, the requirement that the purpose of the executive session be announced appears only in the statutory provision covering the personnel exemption, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-106(c)(1), and is therefore not applicable when the executive session is held pursuant to another statute.

(5) A statute may prohibit executive sessions of any type. E.g., Ark. Code Ann. § 14-250-110(d) (board of directors of wastewater treatment district “shall at no time go into executive session”). See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 87-470 (1988) (interpreting Ark. Code Ann. § 14-116-308(d), since renumbered as § 14-116-308(d)(1) and limited by Act 1210 of 2003, codified as § 14-116-308(d)(2)).

Both Acts require that the notice of meetings and agenda packets be made available in formats accessible to the disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Cal. Gov’t Code §§ 11125(f), 11125.1(b) (Bagley-Keene Act), 54954.1, 54954.2(a)(1) (Brown Act).

Both Acts provide that no meeting, conference or other function shall be held in any facility that has discriminatory admission policies, or that is inaccessible to disabled persons, or where members of the public may not be present without making a payment or purchase. Cal. Gov't Code §§ 11131 (Bagley-Keene Act), 54961(a) (Brown Act).

Both Acts provide that no notice, agenda, announcement or report required under the Act need identify any victim or alleged victim of tortious sexual conduct or child abuse unless the identity of the person has been publicly disclosed. Cal. Gov't Code §§ 11131.5 (Bagley-Keene Act), 54961(b) (Brown Act).

The Brown Act provides that closed sessions of hospitals are subject to the requirements of Health and Safety Code Sections 1461, 1462, 32106, 32155 and Government Code Sections 37606, 37624.3 (regarding meetings of boards of trustees and governing bodies of hospitals and quorum requirements, hospital trade secrets, and medical audit reports). Cal. Gov't Code § 54962. School districts and community college districts are subject to provisions of the Education Code. Cal. Gov't Code § 54962.

Boards of county commissioners are required to meet in open session by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 30-10-302.
Boards of Education. Meetings of boards of education are declared open to the public by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-32-108(5).
Colorado Student Obligation Bond Authority. Meetings of the board of directors of Colorado Student Obligation Bond Authority are declared open to the public by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 23-3.1-205(2).
Division of Labor. Sessions of the director of the Division of Labor, or any deputy or referee of the division are required to be open to the public by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-1-106(3).
Search committees. Open. A search committee of a state public body or local public body shall establish job search goals, including the writing of the job description, deadlines for applications, requirements for applicants, selection procedures, and the time frame for appointing or employing a chief executive officer of an agency, authority, institution, or other entity at an open meeting. A list of all finalists being considered for a position shall be made public by the search committee no less than fourteen days prior to the first interview conducted for the position. Records submitted by or on behalf of a finalist for such position shall be subject to the provisions of Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-72-204(3)(a)(XI). Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-6-402(3.5).

None specified.

Persons may be removed from a meeting who are willfully or seriously disruptive of the conduct of the meeting. 29 Del. C. § 10004(d).

A public body that meets in closed session may not discuss or consider matters other than those specified as a reason for closing the session.  D.C. Code Ann. § 2-575(d).

See section re “Exemptions in the open meetings statute” above.

The Act's open meeting requirements may be subject to provisions elsewhere in the Georgia Code. E.g., O.C.G.A. § 20-2-757(a) (public school disciplinary proceedings conducted by school administration or board of education not subject to requirements of Act); § 31-2A-16 (exempting the Department of Public Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee); § 43-34-124 (exempting meetings of the Patient Qualification Review Board to certify patients, physicians and pharmacies entitled to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program).

The provisions of the City Charter or applicable city ordinances apply if they are more stringent than those of the Sunshine Law. The Honolulu Charter allows closed "executive sessions" under fewer circumstances than under state law.
Corporation Counsel guidelines on proper implementation of the Sunshine Law include advanced written notice of meetings, written minutes, the public's right to tape record a meeting, and the penalties for willful violation of the law. As amended in 1984, the county ordinance requires eight days advance notice. Honolulu Corp. Counsel Memo. (Feb. 13, 1985).

Although it may be questionable as a practical matter how many minds remain open after deliberations during an executive session, no final decisions can be made in executive session. Idaho Code 74-206(3) states flatly that “no executive session may be held for the purpose of taking any final action or making any final decision.”

The Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole is accorded limited exemption from this provision of the Open Meeting Law. Idaho Code § 20-213A. While their meetings are generally open, deliberations and decisions concerning paroles can be made in executive session and the votes of individual parole board members on such decisions shall not be made public. Idaho Code § 20-213A(1)(a). But the public may obtain overall vote tallies of Commission’s decisions. Idaho Code § 20-213A(2).  See Leavitt v. Craven, 154 Idaho 661, 302 P.1 (2012) (commission’s consideration of death row inmate’s petition for commutation not required to be public).

Every public body is required to designate employees, officers, or members to receive training on compliance with this Act. Each public body must submit a list of designated employees, officers, or members to the Public Access Counselor. Within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the designated employees, officers, and members must successfully complete an electronic training curriculum, developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor, and thereafter must successfully complete an annual training program. Thereafter, whenever a public body designates an additional employee, officer, or member to receive this training, that person must successfully complete the electronic training curriculum within 30 days after that designation and file a copy of the certificate of completion with the public body. 5 ILCS 120/1.05.

The General Assembly and committees or commissions of the General Assembly are specifically exempt from the definition of “public body,” but other state and local legislative bodies are covered by the definition. See 5 ILCS 120/1.02. The policy of openness is the same regarding the General Assembly, but the Illinois Constitution provides that sections of each house of the General Assembly and meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative commissions are open to the public unless two-thirds of the members elected to the particular house determine that the public interest requires a closed meeting. Joint committee and legislative commission meetings may also be closed if two-thirds of the members elected to each house so determine. See Ill. Const. art. IV, §  5(c)).

One court has noted that this provision actually places greater restrictions on the General Assembly than on bodies covered by the Act, since the General Assembly must have the concurrence of two-thirds of the members involved, while the Act allows closed meetings on certain topics without member concurrence. See People ex. rel. Hopf v. Barger, 30 Ill. App. 3d 525, 534-35, 332 N.E.2d 649, 657 (2d Dist. 1975).

Additionally, the Open Meetings Act does not apply to a child death review team, the Illinois Child Death Review Teams Executive Council, and the meetings of the Executive Ethics Commission. See 5 ILCS 120/1.02.

Various statutes provide for other statutory requirements or authority for open or closed meetings. See, e.g., Ind. Code § 4-23-2-3(3) (public hearings of the Indiana Arts Commission); Ind. Code § 4-22-3-1 (public hearings of administrative bodies); Ind. Code § 4-9.1.-1-3(c) (public meetings of State Board of Finance); Ind. Code § 5-13-7-6(c) (public meetings of local Boards of Finance); Ind. Code § 5-12-1-21(c) (public meetings of Board for Depositories); Ind. Code § 20-26-4-3(d) (school corporation meetings must be open and are limited to certain locations); Ind. Code § 36-2-2-8(b) (county commissioner meetings subject to certain notice requirements and location limitations).

There are no other Iowa statutes which deal solely with the public nature of meetings involving governmental bodies. Instead, individual chapters of the code contain individual provisions specific to those chapters.

Public bodies may recess into executive session to conduct deliberations out of public view.  See “Requirement to state statutory authority for closing meetings before closure” above.

Various other statutes concerning specific entities make those entities' meetings confidential.

For example, under Ky. Rev. Stat. 156.557(6)(c), preliminary discussions regarding a school superintendent's annual evaluation are conducted in closed session. See 18-OMD-154.

1. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 46:1073(B) (part of the "Enhanced Ability to Compete" Act) (discussion of "marketing strategies and strategic plans" of public hospitals may be held in executive session); See also,Op. Att'y Gen. 93-62; Op. Att'y Gen. 95-193; Op. Att'y Gen. 95-316; Op. Att'y Gen. 95-346 (applying § 46:1073(B)). Two related cases, St. Mary Anesthesia Assocs. Inc. v. Hosp. Serv. Dist. No. 2 of Parish of St. Mary, 836 So.2d 379 (La. App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 840 So.2d 577 (La. 2003)and Joseph v. Hosp. Serv. Dist. No. 2 of the Parish of St. Mary, 805 So.2d 400 (La. App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 813 So.2d 1088 (La. 2002), contested the constitutionality of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 46:1070-1076, the Enhanced Ability to Compete Act ("EACA"). The First Circuit held that the clear language of the Louisiana Constitution stated that the legislature had the authority to establish exceptions to the public's right to open meetings, and because Section 3 is not a "fundamental, inalienable right, in the sense of those enumerated rights under Article 1," the EACA exception was not unconstitutionally overbroad.
2. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 17:3390 (may entirely exempt certain university foundations).

Some state agencies or governmental bodies have their own requirements for open or closed meetings. If the meetings are designated as closed, the statutory basis must still fall within one of the permitted topics for executive sessions listed in 1 M.R.S.A. § 405. Examples include: legislative investigating committee meetings may be closed if so requested by a witness, 3 M.R.S.A. § 427; Commission of Governmental Ethics and Election Practices meetings are open unless six of the seven members want the meeting closed, 1 M.R.S.A. § 1005; confirmation hearings and pre-hearings are open unless the committee determines that the meeting should be closed to avoid damage to the nominee's reputation, 3 M.R.S.A. § 154; proceedings related to issuance, refusal, suspension or revocation of concealed firearms permits are closed unless the applicant requests that it be open, 25 M.R.S.A. § 2006(1); meetings of the Maine Drug Enforcement Advisory Board are open unless there is a discussion of pending investigations, 25 M.R.S.A. § 2957.

A public body acting in closed session may not discuss or act on any matter not exempt under the Act. § 3-305(c).

Other statutory provisions exist for specific kinds of meetings. See e.g. G.L. c. 71, § 42 (closing hearings on dismissal of tenured teachers); see also Kurlander v. Sch. Comm. of Williamstown, 16 Mass. App. Ct. 350, 451 N.E.2d 138 (1983) (tenured teacher unsuccessfully resisted closed hearing); O'Sullivan v. Sch. Comm. of Worcester, 411 Mass. 123, 579 N.E.2d 160 (1991) (teacher not entitled to be present at school committee's disciplinary deliberations).

Not specified.

No other general requirements exist.

1. "[A]ll courts shall be open . . ." Miss. Const. of 1890, art. 3, § 24. Despite this language, the closure of pretrial proceedings in a murder case was upheld in Mississippi Publishers Corp. v. Coleman, 515 So. 2d 1163 (1987).
2. "In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have a right to a speedy and public trial.” Miss. Const. of 1890, art. 3, § 26.
3. The legislature may close its doors "in cases which may require secrecy." Miss. Const. of 1890, art. 4, § 58; see also§ 25-41-7(4)(e).
4. Meetings in public schools must be "public meetings." § 37-7-301(k); Op. Att'y Gen. Jan. 20, 1983 to Will A. Hickman.
5. Insurers who wish to challenge actions by the insurance commissioner are given the right to a confidential hearing in certain instances. 1996 Miss. Laws ch. 478.

Other statutory requirements for closed meetings are based on the type of information or records discussed. If a statute exempts from disclosure a particular type of record, it may also require a meeting or portion of a meeting where that record would be discussed to be closed.

“Records which are protected from disclosure by law” may be closed. Mo.Rev.Stat. § 610.021(14). See Oregon County R-IV School District v. Le Mon, 739 S.W.2d 553, 557 (Mo.Ct.App. 1987) (language in the Sunshine Law “except as otherwise provided by law” means except as otherwise provided by statute); Pulitzer Publishing Company v. Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System, 927 S.W.2d 477, 480 (Mo.Ct.App. 1996) (a regulation promulgated pursuant to an agency’s general rule making authority is not within the “except as otherwise provided by law” exception to the Sunshine Law); Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services v. Allan, 787 S.W.2d 291, 292 (Mo.Ct.App. 1990) (a record exempt from the federal Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552 et seq., is not exempt from the Missouri Sunshine Law unless a specific state statute expressly so provides).

A public body may close a meeting “when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public agency.” Mont. Code Ann. § 2-3-203(4). A lawsuit must actually be filed before this statutory protection is provided. The mere threat of litigation does not trigger the right to close a meeting. However, a meeting cannot be closed to discuss litigation in which only public agencies are involved. Associated Press v. Bd. of Pub. Educ., 246 Mont. 386, 804 P.2d 376 (1991).

Closed sessions may be held only upon the affirmative vote of a majority of members of the public body, in open session. The entire motion, the vote of each member on the closure question, and the time when the closed session commenced and concluded, must be stated in the minutes. Closed session discussion is restricted to consideration of matters set forth in minutes as reason for closed session. Open session must be reconvened before any formal action may be taken. An individual member of the public body may challenge closure if discussion exceeds stated reason for closed session. A public body may not fail to invite members, or rely on chance meetings, social gatherings or electronic communications to circumvent statutory provisions. Neb. Rev. Stat. §84-1410.

A vote in open session without discussion, following closed session, may be mere rubber stamping of decisions actually reached in closed session, and violates Open Meetings Act. Grein v. Board of Education, supra. Good faith motivation is not cure for noncompliance with Open Meetings Act, nor is it defense to lawsuit seeking nullification of action taken at illegal closed session. Id.

1. Ethics commission meetings at which information concerning the propriety of the conduct of any public officer or employee is received may be closed. NRS 281.511(9).
2. Labor negotiations between public bodies and employees or their unions, including fact finding by negotiations, may be closed. NRS 288.220.
3. School board of trustee hearings concerning suspension or expulsion of students may be closed. NRS 392.467(3).
4. Investigative meetings of the Nevada Gaming Control Board may be closed. NRS 463.110.

No.

At the completion of a closed meeting, the minutes of the next open meeting must state that the matters discussed in the closed meeting were limited only to those specified in the motion.  The statement must be approved by the public body by individual vote.  NMSA 1978 § 10-15-1(J).

Executive Sessions.

1. Character of exceptions for executive sessions.
2. General or specific. The OML requires all meetings of a public body to be open to the general public, except in eight specific enumerated categories where an executive session is permissible. N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 103(a), 105(1) (McKinney 1988).
3. Mandatory or discretionary closure. Closure is discretionary under the OML. N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 105(1) (McKinney 1988) (“a public body may conduct an executive session . . .”). In the instance where a meeting is closed to the general public, “[a]ttendance at an executive session shall be permitted to any member of the public body and any other persons authorized by the public body.” N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 105(2) (McKinney 1988).
4. Description of each instance in which an executive session is allowed. An executive session is authorized only for the following enumerated purposes:

(a) matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed;

(b) any matter which may disclose the identity of a law enforcement agent or informer;

(c) information relating to current or future investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense which would imperil effective law enforcement if disclosed;

(d) discussions regarding proposed, pending or current litigation;

(e) collective negotiations pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law;

(f) the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation;

(g) the preparation, grading or administration of examinations; and

(h) the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.

N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 105(1) (McKinney 1988).

The exceptions allowing executive sessions are to be “narrowly scrutinized, lest the article’s clear mandate be thwarted by thinly veiled references to the areas delineated thereunder.” Weatherwax v. Town of Stony Point, 97 A.D.2d 840, 468 N.Y.S.2d 914 (2d Dep’t 1983).  See also New York State Tenants & Neighbors Coalition, Inc. v Nassau Cty. Rent Guidelines Bd., 25 Misc. 3d 1202(A), 899 N.Y.S.2d 61 (Sup. Ct. Nassau Cty. 2006); Daily Gazette Co. v. Town Bd., Town of Cobleskill, 111 Misc.2d 303, 444 N.Y.S.2d 44 (1981); accord, Matter of Sanna v. Lindenhurst Bd. of Educ., 107 Misc.2d 267, 268-270, 433 N.Y.S.2d 976 (1980), mod on other grounds 85 A.D.2d 157, 447 N.Y.S.2d 733 (1982), aff’d. 58 N.Y.2d 626, 458 N.Y.S.2d 511, 444 N.E.2d 975 (1982).  Additionally, the statute itself states that “[a]ny provision of a charter, administrative code, local law, ordinance, or rule or regulation affecting a public body which is more restrictive with respect to public access than this article shall be deemed superseded hereby to the extent that such provision is more restrictive than this article.”  N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 110(1) (McKinney 1988).

A body of case law has developed under the executive session authorization relating to litigation, collective bargaining, personnel, and acquisition and sale of real estate and securities.

None.

Although government officials have attempted to read exclusions into the open meetings and open records laws based upon statutes that do not contain explicit exceptions, the North Dakota Supreme Court has resisted this effort. In Hovet v. Hebron Public School District, 419 N.W.2d 189, 191 (N.D. 1988), the court held that “an exception to the open-records law may not be implied.” Id.

The provisions of Ohio Rev. Code Chapter 1347 (known as the Privacy Act) shall not be construed to authorize a public body to hold an executive session for the discussion of personal information other than as authorized by Ohio Rev. Code § 121.22. Ohio Rev. Code § 1347.04.

Meetings of the board of trustees of the Ohio police and firemen's pension fund may be closed to discuss medical records. Ohio Rev. Code § 742.07.

Meetings of the state teachers retirement board, school employees retirement board, and state highway patrol retirement board may be conducted in executive session to discuss medical records. Ohio Rev. Code §§ 3307.09, 3309.09, 5505.04.

Parole board hearings are not subject to the open meetings statute. Ohio Rev. Code § 5149.101(C).

The state dental board's proceedings related to the investigation of a complaint or the determination of whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of law governing the practice of dentistry has occurred is confidential. Ohio Rev. Code § 4715.03.

The Ohio cemetery dispute resolution committee may conduct confidential meetings to consider the merits of a complaint before it. Ohio Rev. Code § 4767.06.

A hearing by the Ohio department of health on a nursing home administrator's attempt to transfer or discharge a resident is not subject to the open meetings statute. Ohio Rev. Code § 3721.162(B).

All proceedings of the board of county commissioners shall be public. Ohio Rev. Code § 305.09.

The meetings of a legislative authority of a municipality shall, at all times, be open to the public. Ohio Rev. Code § 731.46.

The Act states that no public body “shall hold executive sessions unless otherwise specifically provided in this section.” 25 O.S. § 307. This language is reinforced by the legislative mandate that if an executive session is proposed, the agenda shall “state specifically the provision of Section 307 of this title authorizing the executive session.” 25 O.S. § 311.A.12.B.2.c. The Act does not contain any other provision which would provide a “catch-all” exemption allowing a closure of meetings as provided by law.

None.

Throughout the Pennsylvania Code, occasional provisions exist that require the meetings of particular public bodies be open to the public.  See, e.g., 53 P. S. § 12527 (stating that council meetings of first class cities must be open). If, as is likely, the courts adhere to their practice under the prior Sunshine Act, these statutes will be read in pari materia with the Act, and will be subject to its exceptions.  See, e.g., Mellin v. City of Allentown, 430 A.2d 1048, 1051 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1981) (“While we recognize that the [now repealed] Third Class City Code contains no exclusions from its provisions governing open meetings and records, we believe that, because the Third Class City Code relates to the same classes of persons and events as to the [Sunshine Act] and Right to Know Law, the statutes stand in pari materia and must be construed as one.”).

All public bodies are required to insure that all open meetings are accessible to handicapped persons. Access compliance was fulfilled by December 20, 1991.  R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-13.

The legislature may meet in executive session in accordance with the state constitution and the rules of each house. S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-70(e). Before going into executive session the public body must vote on a motion to enter into the session, and the specific purpose of the closed session must be stated if the vote is favorable. S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-70(b). No action may be taken in executive session except to adjourn or return to public session. The public body may not commit to a course of action by the polling of members in executive session. Id.

No.

Although the Act requires that meetings be open to the public, the Act does not require governing bodies to permit members of the public to speak, comment, or actively participate in the meeting. Whittemore v. Brentwood Planning Comm'n., 835 S.W.2d 11 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992). It is not a violation of the Act for a governing body to order the removal of a person who is disrupting the meeting.

In several instances the Attorney General concluded certain discussions were not "meetings" subject to the Act because the discussion topics were not "public business." In Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. H-223 (1974), the Attorney General determined an open discussion was not necessary for administrative proceedings held by the comptroller hearing division. The Attorney General cited taxation statutory provisions that expressly prohibited the comptroller from making information about a taxpayer's affairs public in any manner. In Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. H-1154 (1978), the Attorney General advised that a county's child welfare board could meet in a closed session "for the limited purpose of discussing case files where an open meeting would result in a violation of section 33 of (Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann.] article 695(c)," which made it unlawful for anyone to disclose any information about public assistance applicants or recipients. In Op. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. JC-108 (1999), the Attorney General advised that a hospital district's proceedings as a medical peer review committee are exempt from the Act.

1. Meetings of the Health and Human Services Interim Committee and of the Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel to review fatality review reports, and their responses to such reports, must be closed. Utah Code § 52-4-205(2)(a)-(b). A meeting of a conservation district as defined in Section 17D-3-102 for the purpose of advising the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture on a farm improvement project must be closed if the discussed information is protected information under federal law. Id. 52-4-205(2)(c).

2. The following meetings also are exempt from the Open Meetings Act:

a. portions of meetings of the Board of Financial Institutions which concern confidential information pertaining to a particular financial institution, Utah Code § 7-1-203(5); and

b. meetings of judicial nomination commissions. Id. § 78A-10-103(7).

3. The following government entities are required specifically by statute to comply with the Open Meetings Act:

a. the Uintah Basin Revitalization Fund Board, id. § 35A-8-1605(2);

b. governing bodies of municipalities, id. § 10-3-601;

c. the House, Senate, and Legislative Management Committee, subcommittee, or interim committee, id. § 36-12-10;

d. the Department of Public Safety, id. § 53-1-105; and

e. the State Building Board. Id. § 63A-5-102.

4. Statutory requirements for public hearings.

a. A city must hold a public hearing on budgets tentatively adopted. Id. § 10-6-114.

b. A city must hold a public hearing before designating any street as a “mall.” Id. § 10-15-6.

c. The governing body of a special district must hold a public hearing on budgets tentatively adopted. Id. § 17B-1-610.

d. The governing body of a county must hold a public hearing on budgets tentatively adopted. Id. § 17-36-13.

e. The local school board must hold a public meeting to discuss its proposed budget. Id. § 53A-19-102.

f. The Board of Child and Family Services and the Child Abuse Advisory Council must conduct public hearings before purchasing or contracting for any child abuse or neglect prevention or treatment program or service. Id. § 62A-4a-306.

g. The Division of Parks and Recreation must conduct a public hearing before establishing any recreational trail. Id. § 79-5-304.

h. A county must hold a public hearing to discuss a proposed agricultural protection area. Id. § 17-41-304.

i. Before approving a plan for underground conversion of public utilities, the governing body of the county, city, or town must hold a public meeting to discuss the proposed improvements. Id. § 54-8-9. Notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation, published on the Utah Public Notice Website, posted in at least three public places, and mailed to each property owner within the district. Id. § 54-8-10.

j. The governing body of a municipality that wishes to consolidate must hold a public hearing on the proposed consolidation. Id. § 10-2-606.

k. The Utah Constitutional Revision Commission may hold public hearings “that it considers advisable.” Id. § 63I-3-205.

l. The Utah Tax Review Commission “may hold public hearings it considers advisable.” Id. § 59-1-904.

m. “The county board of equalization shall meet and hold public hearings each year to examine the assessment roll and equalize the assessment of property in the county.” Id. § 59-2-1001(2).

5. Other statutory requirements.

a. All meetings of county legislative bodies shall be open to the public. Id. § 17-53-206.

b. Upon the filing of a formal complaint in a discipline matter, the filing of a petition for reinstatement, or the filing of a motion or petition for interim suspension, an attorney discipline proceeding is public, except as otherwise provided by a protective order. Utah R. Prof’l Prac. 15.

c. Meetings of the Property and Casualty Guaranty Association are open upon a majority vote of the Association’s board of directors. Id. § 31A-28-205(3).

d. Meetings of the Utah Health Data Committee are public, with some exceptions. Id. § 26-33a-103(10).

e. Meetings of the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission are open, with some exceptions. Id. § 32B-2-201(10)(b).

f. All meetings of the State Money Management Council are open, with some exceptions. Id. § 51-7-16(4)(d).

g. Meetings of the Board of Financial Institutions are subject to the Open Meetings Act, except for discussion of confidential information pertaining to a particular financial institution. Id. § 7-1-203(5)(e).

h. Meetings of the Judicial Council are open to the public unless closed in accordance with the Code of Judicial Administration. Utah R. Jud. Admin. 2-103.

i. All state legislature sessions shall be public, except for Senate executive sessions. Utah JR-13.12.

j. News media representatives shall be admitted to the Senate and House chambers, halls, lounges, and committee rooms. With permission, the news media may conduct interviews in the lounges, halls, available committee rooms, or in the House chamber or gallery. Utah SR-33.06, Utah HR-33.06.

l. If a House committee chooses to hold a public hearing in addition to, or instead of, a regular committee meeting, the committee chair shall give notice of the meeting in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. Utah HR-24.14.

m. Visitors may attend House committee meetings so long as the number of people present does not exceed the maximum occupancy of the committee room. Utah HR-24.22. Visitors may not sit in legislators’ chairs and may not speak unless called upon by the chairman. Id.

The only statutory requirements for invoking an executive session (closed meeting) are listed in 1 V.S.A. § 313.

1. Discussion Must be Limited: The discussion in a closed session shall be restricted to the matters identified in the motion to convene in closed session. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3712.C.

2. Voting in Closed Session: No action of a public body becomes official until it is acted on in an open meeting. Va. Code Ann. §§ 2.2-3710.A. and 2.2-3712.H. No resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation or motion adopted, passed or agreed to in a closed meeting shall become effective unless the public body, following the meeting, reconvenes in open meeting and takes a vote of the membership on such resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation or motion that shall have its substance reasonably identified in the open meeting. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3711.B.

3. Duty to Reconvene After Closed Session: At the conclusion of a closed session, the public body must reconvene in open session and shall take a roll call or recorded vote certifying that to the best of each member's knowledge the matters discussed were those exempted from the Act's requirements and were identified previously in the motion to convene in closed session. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3712.D.

Before convening an executive session, the presiding officer must publicly announce both the purpose for excluding the public and the time at which the executive session is to conclude. RCW 42.30.110(2). There is no similar requirement with respect to meetings to which the Act does not apply. Minutes are not required during closed or executive sessions; however, if such minutes are made they must be made promptly.

A few specific statutes mandate certain proceedings be open or closed to the public. As in the case of public record statutes, discussed in the preceding section of this outline, these provisions may create a greater right of public access to particular proceedings.

Several statutes require "all meetings" of particular agencies to be open to the public. These include the Public Energy Authority (W. Va. Code § 5D-1-21), the Community Infrastructure Authority (W. Va. Code § 31-19-19), the Railroad Maintenance Authority (W. Va. Code §  29-18-23), and the Water Development Authority (W. Va. Code § 20-5C-21). Except for the Railroad Maintenance Authority Act, all of these statutes require the public agency to maintain the confidentiality of any "information relating to secret processes or secret methods of manufacture or production" and presumably these agencies could close portions of their meetings if necessary to comply with this mandate. However, the other exceptions in the Open Meetings Act apparently are not available to these bodies.

Most statutes that mandate confidentiality of particular proceedings are confined to judicial or adjudicatory proceedings, which, in any event, would not be subject to the Open Meetings Act. These statutes preclude public access to actions for divorce, W. Va. Code § 48-2-27, or adoption, W. Va. Code § 48-4-10, as well as juvenile proceedings, W. Va. Code § 14-2A-17, § 49-5-17. Additionally, grievance proceedings for employees of boards of education (W. Va. Code § 18-29-3) and for public employees (W. Va. Code § 29-6A-3), and meetings of medical peer review proceedings (W. Va. Code § 30-3C-3) are required by statute to be closed to the public, unless the involved individuals request a public proceeding.

In 1999, the West Virginia Legislature enacted amendments to the West Virginia Open Hospital Proceedings Act. Prior to the amendments, the statute simply provided that the public non-profit hospital boards were subject to the same requirements as other governing bodies covered by the Open Meetings Act, (W. Va. Code §§ 16-5G-1et seq.) The amendments provide comprehensive guidance relating to such hospital meetings, displacing its former reliance upon the Open Meetings Act. In many respects the new provisions of the amended hospital act adopt provisions of the Open Meetings Act as it was constituted prior to its 1999 amendments. Thus, one interested in issues relating to meetings of public non-profit hospital boards must look to the Open Hospital Proceedings Act rather than the generally applicable Open Meetings Act for guidance. See, e.g., Hamrick v. Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc., 648 S.E.2d 1 (W. Va. 2007) (“The definition of ‘governing body’ that was added to the Hospital Act in 1999 closely tracks the definition used in the 1982 Open Meetings Act, with the word ‘hospital’ substituted for the words ‘public body.’ ”)

The following meetings are open: Wis. Stat. §§ 36.07(6) (University of Wisconsin Regents); Wis. Stat. § 59.11(4) (County Boards); Wis. Stat. § 59.70(12)(b) (Mosquito Control Districts); Wis. Stat. § 59.694(3) (Zoning Adjustment Boards); Wis. Stat. § 61.32 (Village Boards); Wis. Stat. § 62.11 (Common Councils of Cities); Wis. Stat. § 62.23(7)(e)(3) (City Board of Appeals); Wis. Stat. § 70.47(2m) (Board of [Tax Assessment] Review); Wis. Stat. § 73.01 (Tax Appeals Commission); Wis. Stat. § 227.18 (Administrative Rule Making Hearings); Wis. Stat. § 62.13(5)(d) (Police and Fire Commission Hearings); Wis. Stat. § 38.10(2) (Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education Appointment Committee); Wis. Stat. § 59.84(6) (County Budget Hearings); Wis. Stat. § 64.07(6) ([City] Common Council); Wis. Stat. § 65.04(7) (Board of [Budgetary] Estimates); Wis. Stat. § 66.2015(6) (Community Relations—Social Development Commission); Wis. Stat. § 111.70(4)(cm)(2) (Municipal Arbitration Proposals); Wis. Stat. § 114.136(2) (Airport Approach Protection Hearings); and Wis. Stat. § 231.02(3) (Wisconsin Health Facilities Authority).

None.