Open Meetings Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

2 May, 2024

Carter County school board leaves off its agenda its vote to close elementary school
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Carter County school board leaves off its agenda its vote to close elementary school

adequate public notice, school boards

Carter County school board leaves off its agenda its vote to close elementary school

By Deborah Fisher|2024-05-02T15:02:05-05:00May 2, 2024|Categories: adequate public notice, school boards|Tags: adequate notice, agendas, Carter County, special called meeting|0 Comments

The Carter County School Board voted 6-1 to close an elementary school in a special called meeting on April 25, but didn't let the public know in advance in its meeting notice. This likely violates the law's requirements for public notice for special called meetings, which requires a governing body to reasonably describe the purpose of the meeting and the action to be taken. The school board's notice had only one action item: to adopt the next year's budget.

8 Apr, 2024

Bill to expand agenda requirement is on the governor’s desk to sign
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Bill to expand agenda requirement is on the governor’s desk to sign

Legislature, meeting agenda

Bill to expand agenda requirement is on the governor’s desk to sign

By Deborah Fisher|2024-04-08T11:03:53-05:00April 8, 2024|Categories: Legislature, meeting agenda|0 Comments

A bill that has passed both the state House ad Senate will require state boards and commissions to make an agenda available to the public 48 hours before the meeting. The agenda must reasonably describe all agenda items.

21 Jun, 2023

Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order
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Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order

Open Courts, Open Meetings

Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order

By Deborah Fisher|2023-06-21T13:36:59-05:00June 21, 2023|Categories: Open Courts, Open Meetings|Tags: Administrative Office of the Courts, Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure, Buck Dougherty, Center Square, court access, First Amendment, Liberty Justice Center, Tennessee Judicial Conference|0 Comments

In a victory for transparency that we should all hopes sticks, an advisory commission that recommends court rules on practices and procedures has started holding meetings open to the public. The open meetings are the result of a federal lawsuit and an order by the judge that said the First Amendment right of access to court proceedings likely requires the meetings to be open.

24 May, 2023

New laws require local government to provide agenda, public comment periods
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New laws require local government to provide agenda, public comment periods

Legislature, meeting agenda, public comment

New laws require local government to provide agenda, public comment periods

By Deborah Fisher|2023-05-24T11:54:07-05:00May 24, 2023|Categories: Legislature, meeting agenda, public comment|Tags: adequate public notice, meeting agenda, public comment, Rep. Elaine Davis, Sen. Adam Lowe, State Rep. Jerome Moon, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire|1 Comment

The General Assembly made two major changes to the Open Meetings Act this year. One new law requires that county and city legislative bodies provide an agenda 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The agenda must "reasonably describe" each agenda item. The other requires all governing bodies set aside a period for public comment, allowing citizens to speak about items on the agenda.

11 Apr, 2023

House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings
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House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings

adequate public notice, Legislature, meeting agenda, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2023-04-11T11:21:31-05:00April 11, 2023|Categories: adequate public notice, Legislature, meeting agenda, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: adequate notice, agendas, government websites, State Rep. Jerome Moon, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire|0 Comments

The House and Senate have unanimously approved a bill that will improve the timeliness and clarity of the agendas of local legislative bodies. The bill now heads to the governor's desk and will become law once signed. The bill requires that agendas be available to the public 48 hours in advance of the meeting and that they "reasonably describe matters to be deliberated and acted upon during the meeting." Several lawmakers signed onto the bill. Tennessee Coalition for Open Government brought the bill to the legislative sponsors after a series of court opinions saying that no agenda was required by the Open Meetings Act.