UTAHOPEN &PUBLIC
MEETINGSACT
UTAHCODEANN.§§52-4-101
et seq.
Declarationof PublicPolicy
(§52-4-102)
•(1)TheLegislaturefindsanddeclaresthatthe state,itsagenciesandpoliticalsubdivisionsexist to aid in theconductofthe peoplesbusiness.
•(2)Itis the intentofthe Legislaturethatthe state,its agenciesandits politicalsubdivisions: (a)taketheiractionsopenly;and(b)conducttheirdeliberationsopenly.
UTAHOPENPUBLIC
MEETINGS ACT
•WHAT DOESTHE OPENMEETINGSACT DO?
–“Itrequiresgovernmenttotakeactionsopenly.”
–“Ensuresdeliberationsallowforanopenpublic
process.”
WhoIs SubjectTo This Law?
•DO I HAVETOFOLLOWTHELAW?
•YES, ifyouare:
–Anadministrative,advisory,executiveorlegislativebody ofthe stateoritssubdivisionsand;
•WerecreatedbytheUtahConstitution,statute,rule,ordinanceorresolution
•Consistoftwoormorepersons
•Spends,distributesoris
supportedbytaxmoney
•Hasauthoritytomakedecisionsaboutthepublic’sbusiness.
Examples
–DABCCommission
–StateRecordsCommittee
–Board of Pardons
–CityorCounty Councils
–CityorCounty CouncilAdvisory Boards
•Planningzoning
•Boardofadjustments
•Projectcommittees
–SpecialDistricts
WhoIsNotSubjecttoOpen
Meetingslaw
•Politicalparties,groupsandcaucuses
•StateLegislativeconference,rulesandsiftingcommittees
•Schoolcommunitycouncil,establishedunder53A-1a-108
§52-4-103(5)(a)
•WHATISAMEETING?
–“Meeting”means theconveningof apublicbody, witha quorum present,includinga workshopor anexecutivesessionwhetherthemeetingis heldin personor by means of electroniccommunications,for thepurposeof discussing,receivingcommentsfromthepublicabout,oractingupon amatter overwhich thepublicbody has jurisdictionor advisorypower.
§52-4-103(5)(b)
•WHATDOES“MEETING”NOTMEAN?
–A chancemeeting
–A socialmeeting
–Meetingofa publicbody with bothlegislativeandexecutiveresponsibilitieswhere:
•No publicfundsareappropriatedforexpenditure
•Meetingsolelyfordiscussionorto implementadministrative/operationalmattersforwhichnoformalactionbythepublicbodyis required
•Meetingsolelyfordiscussionorto implementadministrative/operationalmatters thatwouldnotcome beforethebodyfordiscussionoraction
Whatis a Quorum
•§52-4-103(10)(a)“Quorum”meansasimplemajorityofthemembershipofapublicbody,unlessotherwisedefinedbyapplicablelaw
•§52-4-103(10)(b)“Quorum”doesnotincludeameetingoftwoelectedofficialsbythemselveswhennoaction,eitherformalorinformal,istakenonasubjectoverwhichtheseelectedofficialshaveadvisorypower
Attendanceat Meetings
(§ 52-4-207)
•DO I HAVETOATTENDMEETINGS,OR CANITBEHELD WITHOUTPEOPLE INTHE SAMEROOM?
–Canmeetbyphoneorotherelectronicmeanswhichallowsallparticipantstohearorobservecommunications
•Thepublicbodymust adoptbyresolutionrulesorordinance
•Noticerequirementsstillapply
•Publicmusthaveameansto
attendorparticipate
ElectronicMeetingsSpecific
Requirements
•§52-4-207(b)(i) through(v)
•Theresolution,ruleorordinancemay:
–Prohibit/limitelectronicmeetingsbasedonbudget,publicpolicyorlogistical
considerations
–Requireaquorumtobepresentatanchorlocationorrequireavotetoholdtheelectronicmeeting andincludemembers viaelectronicconnection
–Requiremembersofthepublictomakearequestforanelectronicmeetinguptothreedaysinadvanceofthemeeting
–Restrictthenumberofconnectionsbasedonequipmentlimitations
–EstablishanyotherprocedureorlimitationthatdoesnotconflictwithOPMA
–CharterSchoolBoardsnowhavetheirownrequirementsforelectronicmeetings§
52-4-209
§52-4-202NoticeRequirements
•ARETHEREANYNOTICEREQUIREMENTS?
•Yes,noticerequiresallofthefollowing:
–Mustbepostedasawrittennoticeattheplacewherethemeetingwillbeheld
–Mustbegiventoatleastonelocalgeneralcirculation newspaperorlocalmediacorrespondent
–After01OCT2008,bypostingnoticetothe“UtahPublicNoticeWebsite”63F-1-701
–Atleast24hourspriortomeetingpost:
•Agendaincludingallactionitems statedwithreasonablespecificity
•Date
•Time
•Place
–Note Certainmunicipal publicbodies may beexemptfromposting on the
NoticeWebsitebasedontheir budget.
§52-4-202(2)(a)Notice
Requirements
•In additionto the requirementsunderSubsection§52-4-202(1),a publicbodywhichholdsregularmeetingsthatarescheduledin advanceoverthecourseofayearshallgivepublicnoticeat least onceayearof itsannualmeetingschedule…
§52-4-201,-204-205
ClosedMeetings
•CANA MEETING BECLOSEDTO THEPUBLIC?IF SO WHEN?
–An openmeetingcanbeclosedforthefollowingpurposes:
–A meetingisopento thepublicunless closedunder§ 52-4-204,-205 or -206
–Discussing anindividual’scharacter,professionalcompetence,orphysicalormentalhealth
–Strategysessionstodiscusscollectivebargaining
–Strategysessionstodiscusspendingor
reasonablyimminentlitigation
Closed Meetings(Cont.)
•An openmeetingcan be closedfor the followingpurposescontinued:Note§52-4-205UpdatedeffectiveSeptember,2012.
–Discussionsregardingsecuritypersonnel,devicesorsystems
–Investigativeproceedingsregardingallegationsofcriminalmisconduct
–Strategysessionstodiscussthepurchase,exchange,leaseorsaleofwaterrightsorwatersharesifpublicdiscussionwoulddisclosetheappraisal/estimated valueofthepropertyunderconsideration;orwouldpreventthetransactionfrombeingcompleted underthebestpossibleterms
–Strategysessionstodiscussthepurchase,exchange,leaseorsaleofrealproperty
•Publicnoticeofthetermsandpublicapprovalofsalerequired
•Waterrightssharesundercertainconditions
- ClosedMeetings(Cont.)
•AnindependentLegislativeEthicsCommissionorLegislativeEthicsCommitteereviewofethics complaints
•A countylegislativebodydiscussing
commercialinformation.
Are There Any Meetings That Must BeClosed?
•NO.NOTE:Aclosedmeetingisnotallowedunlesseachmatterdiscussedintheclosedmeetingispermittedunder§52-4-205.
•Thedecisiontocloseameetingtothepublicisalwaysdiscretionary,notmandatory.Thelawdoesnotrequireanymeetingtobeclosed.
•EXEPTIONSThefollowingmustbeclosed:
–A meetingof theHealthand HumanServicesCommitteeto reviewa fatalityreviewreport
–A meetingof theChildWelfareLegislativeOversight
Paneltoreviewafatalityreviewreport
§52-4-204ClosingMeetings
•ISTHEREAPROCESSTOCLOSEMEETINGS?
•YES,52-4-204(EffectiveSeptember12,2012)
–A Quorummust bepresent.
–Two-thirdsofthe members present must vote to close the meeting.
–The bodymust firsthold an open public meetingwith proper noticebefore
enteringinto the closedmeeting.
–The bodymust publiclydisclose: Note:there areseparaterequirementsinsubsections(B), (C) & (D)
•The vote bynameofeach memberfor or againstenteringintotheclosedmeeting
•The reasonsfor holdingthe closedmeeting
•Locationofthe closedmeeting
WhatIsForbiddenDuringAClosed
Meeting?
•Youmaynot:
–Approve any ordinance,resolution,rule,regulation,contractorappointment
–Interviewaperson to
fillan electedposition
–Takefinalaction
•Finalvotesmust beopenandontherecord
WHAT ABOUTEMERGENCIES?
§52-4-202
•Thelaw allowsformeetingsfor“emergencyor urgent”mattersif:
–Thebestnoticepracticable isgiven
–Theminutes includeastatementoftheunforeseencircumstancesthatmadethemeetingnecessary
–Amajorityofthemembersofthegoverningbodymustapprovethemeeting
RECORDSOFOPENMEETINGS (§52-4-203)
•DOWEHAVETOKEEPMINUTESAND/ORRecordings?
•YESTOBOTH!
•Eventhough thereis arecording,theapprovedwrittenminuteswillbetheofficialrecord.
•includeboth writtenminutes andrecordingofopenmeetingas publicrecords.
•Publicbody shallestablishand implementproceduresforthepublicbody’s approvalof thewrittenminutes eachmeeting
.
What Are TheRequirements ForKeeping Minutes of Open Meetings?
•Allminutesmustinclude
–Date/time
–Placeof meeting
–Namesofallmemberspresent orabsent
•Inadditionminutesofopenmeetingsmustinclude
–All mattersproposed, discussedordecided
–All namesand substance ofinformationfromindividualsgivingtestimony
–Individualvoteson eachmatter
–Any additionalinformationrequestedbya member
Whatarethe RequirementsFor
KeepingMinutes ofClosed
Meetings?
•Minutesofclosedmeetingsmustinclude
–The names of all members present
–The names of otherspresent at the closedmeeting,unlessitinfringesonthe purpose of the closedmeeting
–The closedmeeting mustbe recordedandshallbecompleteand unedited
•*Thereareexceptionstothisrequirementsee§ 52-
4-206(6)(a)and(b)
–Detailedwritten minutesmay be kept
Minutesand Recordingsof
Closedmeeting(Continued)
•Minutesand/orrecordingsofclosedmeetingsareprotectedrecordsunderGRAMA
•*exceptionstotherecordingrequirement§ 52-4-
206(6):
–Whena meeting isclosedtodiscuss:character,professionalcompetence,ortodiscussthephysical/mentalhealthofanindividual§ 52-4-205(1)(a)
–Deploymentofsecuritydevices,systems orpersonnel§52-4-205(1)(f)
–Anyreasonprescribedin§ 52-4-205(2).
The individualinchargeofthemeeting signstheaffidavit
§52-4-203(4) Minutes and Recordings ofOpen Meetings
•WHENARETHEMINUTESOFMEETINGSPUBLIC?
–Writtenminutesandrecordingsofopenmeetingsarepublicrecordspursuantto63G-2-101etseq.(GRAMA)andshallbeavailabletothepublicwithin30daysafterholdingtheopenmeeting.
CONTINUATION§52-4-203
•Withinthreebusinessdaysafterapprovingwrittenminutesof an openmeeting,youmustpostto the UtahPublicNoticeWebsiteandmakeavailableat yourprimaryoffice.
•Withinthreebusinessdaysyoumust postanaudiorecordingofthe openmeetingto theUtahPublicNoticeWebsite.
CONTINUATION§52-4-203(4)
•Writtenminutesshallbeavailabletothepublicbeforefinalapprovalwhentheminutesare onlyawaitingformalapproval.
•Theminutesreleasedpriorto finalapproval
mustbe identifiedas “unapproved”.
•Therecordingofa openmeetingmustbe
madeavailablewithin3 businessdays.
ElectronicMessage
Transmissions
•§52-4-210TheOpenPublicMeetingsActdoesnotrestrictmembersof a publicbodyfromtransmittinganelectronicmessagetoothermembersof the publicbodywhenthebodyisnotin an openmeeting.
WHATHAPPENSIFSOMEONE
VIOLATESOPMA?
•52-4-30252-4-305
•Acourtcanvoidanyactioninviolationofthelaw
–Sometimesa violationcan be“cured”bydiscussingandtakingapublicvoteina subsequentmeeting
–May havetopaycourtcostsandattorneysfees
–“Inaddition toanyotherpenaltyunderthischapter,a memberofa publicbodywhointentionallyviolatesorintentionallyabetsoradvisesa violationoftheclosedmeetingprovisionsofthischapterisguiltyofaclassBmisdemeanor.” (6mos. Jailand/or
$1,000.00fine)
CommonViolationsOfOPMA
–Closingmeetingswithoutmembersof thebody votingfirstinan open meetingtoclose themeeting
–Conductinga closedmeetingfor reasons other thanthoseallowedby OPMA
–Takingofficialorfinalactionin aclosedmeeting
–Failingtoproperlyprovidenoticeof apublicmeeting
–Failingtoprovideadequatenoticeof apublicmeeting
Actionchallenginga closed
meeting
•§52-4-304Thecourt/judgemust
–Reviewtherecording/minutesincamera(inprivate)andthendecidethelegalityoftheclosedmeeting
–Ifjudgedoesn’tfindaviolationactiondismissedwithnodisclosure
–Ifjudgefindsaviolationthejudgewillorder
disclosureofallorpartoftherecord
•May alsobeactionableunderGRAMA§ 63G-2-202(7)
WHOCANENFORCE OPMA?
–Thecourts
–TheAttorneyGeneral
–ACountyAttorney
–Aprivatecitizenwhoisanaggrievedparty
UTAHOPENPUBLIC
MEETINS ACT
•HOW LONGDOESA PARTY HAVETOPURSUE CORRECTIVEACTION?
–90Days
–30Daysifitinvolves,bonds,notes,ordebt
UTAHOPENPUBLIC
MEETINS ACT
•QUESTIONS?