Open Meetings Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

23 Jul, 2025

What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case
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What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case

Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits, school boards

What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-23T14:02:34-05:00July 23, 2025|Categories: Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits, school boards|Tags: Johnston v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville, Marie Feagins, Shelby County School Board|0 Comments

The Court of Appeals has ruled that discussions by members of governing bodies in private can violate the open meetings law, but someone bringing an open meetings lawsuit must present enough evidence to show that the members meeting privately were deliberating, engaging in substantive discussion about their positions or attempting to develop a consensus. Whether fired superintendent Marie Feagins can do that in her case against the Memphis-Shelby County School Board is up to a judge. But the public also has a role in deciding what kind of transparency they want from their local school board.

10 Jul, 2025

Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings
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Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings

Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits

Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-10T11:55:46-05:00July 10, 2025|Categories: Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits|Tags: Chattanooga City Council, informational meetings, Paul McAdoo, private meetings, public notice, redistricting, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Times Free Press|0 Comments

A judge found that the Chattanooga City Council violated the Open Meetings Act in developing its new voting district maps in 2021 and 2022. The city's arguments that closed meetings were simply "informational" and contained no deliberations or decision-making was refuted by evidence that included council members own comments about the process. In addition, the judge found that serial meetings held by city staff with each council member to get approval of a proposed map before presenting it in public at a full council meeting violated the open meetings act.

21 Apr, 2025

‘Advisory board’ that would oversee Memphis school board would be exempt from Open Meetings Act
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‘Advisory board’ that would oversee Memphis school board would be exempt from Open Meetings Act

Legislature, Open Meetings, school boards

‘Advisory board’ that would oversee Memphis school board would be exempt from Open Meetings Act

By Deborah Fisher|2025-04-21T14:33:37-05:00April 21, 2025|Categories: Legislature, Open Meetings, school boards|Tags: Rep. Mark White, Sen. Brent Taylor, Shelby County School Board|0 Comments

A Senate bill up for a vote today that creates a board of managers to oversee the Memphis Shelby County School District would allow the new board to operate secretly. The bill specifically states the the new board of managers would be exempt from the Open Meetings Act and could hold meetings closed to the public. The board would have significant powers, including recommending elected school board members for removal. The House version also creates a new board, which slightly different powers, but in this bill, the new board would be subject to the Open Meetings law.

24 Mar, 2025

Comptroller’s Report: DA’s Conference has been violating Open Meetings law
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Comptroller’s Report: DA’s Conference has been violating Open Meetings law

adequate public notice, Legislature, minutes, Open Meetings

Comptroller’s Report: DA’s Conference has been violating Open Meetings law

By Deborah Fisher|2025-03-24T15:31:46-05:00March 24, 2025|Categories: adequate public notice, Legislature, minutes, Open Meetings|Tags: District Attorneys General Conference, Rep. Elaine Davis, State Sen. Ferrell Haile|0 Comments

Just days after the District Attorneys General Conference pushed a bill through committee to exempt many of their meetings from the Open Meetings Act, a Comptroller's audit of the DA's General Conference was released that found that the conference and its committees have largely been violating the open meetings act. The Open Meetings Act requires governing bodies, including governing bodies created by the Legislature, such as the district attorney general's conference, to give adequate public notice of meetings and record and maintain minutes. However, the DA's Conference gave public notice for only a handful of its meetings from 2021 to 2023. For example, its executive committee met 30 times but [...]

17 Mar, 2025

Citizens should have access to clear agendas for all government body meetings
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Citizens should have access to clear agendas for all government body meetings

Legislature, meeting agenda, Open Meetings

Citizens should have access to clear agendas for all government body meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2025-03-17T10:51:52-05:00March 17, 2025|Categories: Legislature, meeting agenda, Open Meetings|Tags: agendas, Rep. Chris Todd, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire|0 Comments

The Tennessee Legislature first passed the "agenda requirement" within the Open Meetings Act in 2023. But it applied only to city and county legislative bodies, such as city councils and county commissions. In 2024, the Legislature expanded the agenda requirement to cover state boards and commissions. This year, the Legislature has a chance to complete the sound advance toward transparency in government and require that all governing bodies that are subject to the Open Meetings Act have an agenda that is available to the public before the meeting.