meeting agenda Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

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.

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.

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.

11 Jan, 2023

Bill seeks to give citizens better access to meeting agendas, material
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Bill seeks to give citizens better access to meeting agendas, material

Legislature, meeting agenda

Bill seeks to give citizens better access to meeting agendas, material

By Deborah Fisher|2023-04-11T10:57:30-05:00January 11, 2023|Categories: Legislature, meeting agenda|Tags: agendas, government websites, State Rep. Jerome Moon, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire, supplemental meeting documents|0 Comments

A proposed bill would improve citizen access to meeting agendas and board packets before public meeting by requiring they be publicly accessible, such as on a government website, for 48 hours before the meeting. The bill would also require that agendas "clearly describe the matters to be discussed" in an effort to avoid vague references to potential action.