They just don’t seem to get it. Or maybe they do and just don’t care. We’re talking about executive sessions. But until somebody decides to challenge them legally, boards will continue to deceive the people they serve. This time, the flagrant offender is the Ilion Village Board. Prior to its legally announced March 11 regular […]
Read More… from Observer Dispatch OUR VIEW: Public officials must be held accountable
Communities across the country are finding themselves in a bind as they try to pass urgent legislation to combat the coronavirus pandemic at the same time public meetings are impossible. Open-government advocates say many city councils, school boards and other governing bodies are failing at the task, holding meetings that are inaccessible to the public, rushing actions […]
Read More… from Local Governments Are Hard to Find as Coronavirus Ends Public Meetings
More than 150 organizations have signed a statement to state, tribal and local public institutions voicing concerns about transparency and access to meetings and records as these institutions respond to the Coronavirus emergency and continue their administrative deliberations. Organizations representing diverse constituencies and political ideologies have joined together to advise these governing bodies that real time […]
Read More… from 150 Organizations Sign Statement on Government Coronavirus Emergency Transparency
Those attending public meetings at the Lackawanna County Administration Building may bring and use their cellphones, Sheriff Mark McAndrew clarified Monday. Calling it an issue of safety and security, McAndrew unilaterally implemented policy earlier this year requiring all who enter the Administration Building — with exceptions for judges, employees, law enforcement officials and certain others […]
The Vermont Secretary of State's Office says a quorum of public officials participating in social media like Facebook groups, Front Porch Forum or other online groups brings up open meeting law concerns.
The guidance on social media use was included in the office's annual update to the state open meeting law released last week.
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Read More… from Vermont’s Condos: Social media discussions can be public meetings
Want to know how your legislator voted on Utah Access Plus, the proposal to expand health care to about 125,000 of Utah's poorest residents? Don't bother searching.
There was never an official recorded vote on the plan. In fact, the votes that doomed the health care bill were all taken in secret — with Republican House members voting in a closed-door meeting and GOP senators casting private votes after confidential discussions.
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Read More… from Poll: Utahns want legislative debate out in the open
From OnlineAthens:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University trustees voted on Friday to change the mission once again of the school's anti-hazing committee and force it to meet publicly.
The 8-2 vote came after Gov. Rick Scott and others had criticized school officials for initially deciding earlier this month to allow the committee to sidestep Florida's "sunshine law."
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Read More… from Florida A&M University will make hazing committee meet in public
From TNReport
Local school board members can attend meetings digitally, so long as there is a physical quorum, under a plan that has passed both chambers of the Legislature.
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Read More… from Lawmakers OK Legislation Allowing Ayes, Nays Via Video at School Board Meetings
From Bloomberg:
A Michigan judge ordered a review team appointed by the governor to study Detroit’s finances to stop meeting in private.
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Read More… from Detroit study team ordered to stop closed meetings
From the Valley Independent Sentinel:
The Freedom of Information Commission started hearing evidence Tuesday to determine if three Seymour police commissioners held an illegal meeting to talk about embattled Seymour police Detective Ron Goodmaster.
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