Download or view Keys to Open Government as a PDF.
The Keys to Open Government booklet was written and published in 2015 with a grant from the Tennessee Press Association Foundation. You can download it for free as a PDF by clicking on the cover.
The booklet is written for regular citizens to help making the public records and open meetings law easier to navigate. It is not meant to be legal advice, but rather a primer on how the law works, including some history and context.
Frank Gibson, the founding director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government in 2003, was the primary author of the book with help and editing from Deborah Fisher, TCOG’s current executive director.
Below are some updated sections. TCOG is planning to publish a second edition in 2021 that will be available on the website as a PDF and available to order as a printed booklet. We are out of the 2015 booklets.
You might also wish to browse our Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently asked questions page.
Tennessee Open Meetings Act
Who is subject to the Open Meetings Law
Adequate public notice of meetings
Violations of the Open Meetings Act
Electronic participation in meetings
Electronic communication – Internet forums for governing bodies
Exceptions to the Open Meetings Act
Chance meetings and informal assemblages
Closed meetings under attorney-client privilege
Other exceptions to the Open Meetings Act