Keys to Open Government

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

What constitutes a meeting

Adequate public notice of meetings

Minutes and secret votes

Violations of the Open Meetings Act

Electronic participation in meetings

Electronic communication – Internet forums for governing bodies

Labor negotiations

Exceptions to the Open Meetings Act

Chance meetings and informal assemblages

Closed meetings under attorney-client privilege

Other exceptions to the Open Meetings Act

Tennessee Public Records Act

What is a public record

Government response to public records request

Who is subject to the public records law?