Source: https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-sections/c-what-bodies-are-covered-by-the-law/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 12:35:00+00:00

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C. What bodies are covered by the law?
The Arizona OML applies to “any public body.” A.R.S. § 38-431.01(A).
[T]he legislature, all boards and commissions of this state or political subdivisions, all multimember governing bodies of departments, agencies, institutions and instrumentalities of the state or political subdivisions, including without limitation all corporations and other instrumentalities whose boards of directors are appointed or elected by the state or political subdivision. Public body includes all quasi-judicial bodies and all standing, special or advisory committees or subcommittees of, or appointed by, the public body.
A.R.S. § 38-431(6). What constitutes a “public body” is fairly expansive and may turn on unique facts or circumstances. For example, what constitutes “institutions and instrumentalities of this state or political subdivision” might depend heavily on the relationship between the body and the political subdivision.
FOIA applies to public agencies as defined in Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-200(1). See Records Outline at I.B.
FOIA defines "public body" to include any "executive body" or "committee" of, or "advisory board" to, any executive body "established by an act of the General Assembly of the State, or established by any body established by the General Assembly of the State, or appointed by any body or public official of the State or otherwise empowered by any state governmental entity." 29 Del. C. § 10002(c); see also Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 02-ib19 (Aug. 19, 2002) (informal monthly meeting of one or two representatives from each of six school districts constitutes a "public body" for purposes of FOIA). The open meeting requirements of FOIA, however, do not apply to "[p]ublic bodies having only 1 member." 29 Del. C. § 10004(h)(6). See, e.g., Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 01-ib15 (Oct. 23, 2001) (holding the open meeting laws do not apply to the County Administrator because he is a "body of one.") A "committee" may be a "public body" for purposes of FOIA if it is "established by an act of the General Assembly of the State, or established by any body established by the General Assembly of the State, or appointed by any body or public official of the State . . . to advise or to make reports, investigations or recommendations." 29 Del. C. § 10002(c); Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 01-ib15 (Oct. 23, 2001). When an executive body of one exercises his or her decision-making authority, the open meeting requirements of FOIA usually do not apply to fact-finding discussions with staff. Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 01-ib15 (Oct. 23, 2001). Where, however, an executive official delegates any of his or her decision-making authority to a group of individuals, FOIA might apply because the group may amount to a "committee" appointed by an executive body. Id.
The Open Meetings Act provides that "[a]ll meetings (including hearings) of any department, agency, board or commission of the District government, including meetings of the Council of the District of Columbia, at which official action of any kind is taken shall be open to the public." D.C. Code Ann. § 1-207.42(a). "Meeting" is defined as "any gathering of a quorum of the members of a public body…at which the members consider, conduct, or advise on public business, including gathering information, taking testimony, discussing, deliberating, recommending, and voting, regardless of whether held in person, by telephone, electronically, or by other means of communication." Id. § 2-573(1). The Act then defines "public body" to include only the boards that supervise or control agencies and the boards of directors of instrumentalities, and to exclude any District agency or instrumentality itself. D.C. Code Ann. § 2-573(3).
The Act applies to “nearly every group that performs any function of a government entity.” Office of the Attorney General, Georgia’s Sunshine Laws (2014) at 7-8 [available online at http://www.gfaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/GeorgiasSunshineLaws2014WebEdition.pdf]. For example, city councils; county commissions; regional development authorities; library boards; school boards; commissions or authorities, such as hospital authorities, established by state or local governments; planning commissions; zoning boards; most committees of the University System of Georgia (such as those involving grievances, disciplinary matters, athletic matters and other student-related matters not specifically related to education); and non-profit corporations operating public hospitals. Id.
The Sunshine Law applies to all "boards" when they conduct "meetings." Haw. Rev. Stat. § 92-3 ("[e]very meeting of all boards shall be open to the public"). Accordingly, a two-part test will reveal whether the law applies to a particular board on a particular occasion. First, is the body a "board" as defined by the statute? If not, the law does not apply. If so, is the board conducting a "meeting" as defined by the statute? If not, the law does not apply.
Such a test helps to explain determinations that the law applies to deliberative committees or subgroups appointed by a government entity pursuant to authority embodied in a state statute but not to individual technical consultants denominated in groups as "subcommittees" of the advisory committee when these subcommittees never met or operated as deliberative bodies. Applicability of State Sunshine Law to Dep't of Agric.'s Advisory Comm. on Plants and Animals and Subcomms., Att'y Gen. Op. No. 90-7 (Sept. 12, 1990).
The law defines "meeting" as "the convening of a board for which a quorum is required in order to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision upon a matter over which the board has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power." Haw. Rev. Stat. § 92-2. An agency retreat is a meeting. Applicability of Pt. I, ch. 92, Haw. Rev. Stat., to a Private "Retreat" of OHA Trustees, Att'y Gen. Op. No. 86-19 (Sept. 2, 1986) (holding that "retreat" is synonymous with "meeting" under the Sunshine Law). Despite negative implications from the language of the statute, the fact that a quorum may not be required for a "retreat" or meeting does not alter the need to comply with the Sunshine Laws when agency deliberations or decisions are to take place. Id. (relying on Section 92-5(b) prohibiting use of chance meetings to circumvent spirit of law).
The Act defines public bodies as "all legislative, executive, administrative or advisory bodies of the State, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees or commissions of [Illinois], and any subsidiary bodies of any of the foregoing." 5 ILCS 120/1.02. Subsidiary bodies include (but are not limited to) committees and subcommittees that are supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, or that expend tax revenue, except the General Assembly and its committees or commissions. The Act specifies that the term "public body" includes “tourism boards and convention or civic center boards located in counties that are contiguous to the Mississippi River with populations of more than 250,000 but less than 300,000.” The term "public body," however, does not include a child death review team or the Illinois Child Death Review Teams Executive Council established under the Child Death Review Team Act or an ethics commission acting under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
Inclusion within the definition of "public body" depends primarily upon organizational structure. See Board of Regents v. Reynard, 292 Ill. App. 3d 968, 977, 686 N.E.2d 1222, 1228, 227 Ill. Dec. 66, 72 (4th Dist. 1997). Factors to be considered in determining whether an entity is a public body include: (1) who appoints the members of the entity; (2) the formality of the members' appointments and whether they are paid for their tenure; (3) the entity's assigned duties, including duties reflected in the entity's bylaws or authorizing statute; (4) whether its role is solely advisory or whether it also has a deliberative or investigative function; (5) whether the entity is subject to government control or otherwise accountable to any public body; (6) whether the group has a budget; (7) its place within the larger organization or institution of which it is a part; and (8) the impact of decisions or recommendations that the group makes. University Professionals v. Stukel, 344 Ill. App. 3d 856, 865, 801 N.E.2d 1054, 1062, 280 Ill. Dec. 109, 117 (1st Dist. 2003).
The Open Door Law applies to “all meetings of the governing bodies of public agencies.” Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-3(a). What constitutes a “public agency” is explained in Indiana Code Section 5-14-1.5-2(a), and what constitutes a “governing body” is explained in Indiana Code Section 5-14-1.5-2(b). See also Indiana State Bd. of Health v. Journal-Gazette Co., 608 N.E.2d 989, 993 (Ind. Ct. App. 1993) (holding that “the informal reconsideration meeting was not one conducted by any “governing body” of the Indiana State Department of Health, nor was it a meeting of any advisory committee directly appointed by the ISBH”); Frye v. Vigo Cnty., 769 N.E.2d 188, 196 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002) (holding that the Grievance Panel was not appointed directly by the County Commissioners, so it was not subject to the Open Door Law); Citizens Acton Coalition of Indiana Inc. v. Pub. Serv. Comm’n of Indiana, 425 N.E.2d 178, 185 (Ind. Ct. App. 1981) (holding that the Public Service Commission is subject to the Open Door Law, even though it exercises quasi-judicial functions).
“[A]ll meetings for the conduct of the affairs of, and the transaction of business by, all legislative and administrative bodies and agencies of the state and political and taxing subdivisions” of the state of Kansas, “including boards, commissions, authorities, councils, committees, subcommittees and other subordinate groups thereof, receiving or expending and supported in whole or in part by public funds shall be open to the public.” K.S.A. 75-4318(a).
Ky. Rev. Stat. 61.805(2)(a) through (h) contains the various definitions of “public agencies” which are subject to the Open Meetings Act. Generally, the governing bodies of all state and local government agencies covered by the Act.
As a general rule, all "public bodies" are subject to the Act. § 3-301. A public body is defined as an entity that consists of two or more individuals and is created by the Maryland Constitution, state statute, county charter, ordinance, rule, resolution or bylaw, executive order of the Governor, or executive order of the chief executive of a political subdivision of the State. § 3-101(h)(1). A public body also includes any multimember board, commission, or committee appointed by the Governor or the chief executive authority of a political subdivision of the State, if the entity includes in its membership at least two individuals who are not employed by either the State or political subdivision of the State. § 3-101(h)(2). Additionally, any multimember boards, commissions or committees appointed by an entity in the Executive Branch of the State government, with its members appointed by the Governor, or by an official who is subject to the policy direction of such entity, is also a public body, so long as its members include at least two individuals who are not members of the appointing entity or employed by the State. § 3-301(h)(2)(ii).
However, the Act's scope is narrowed to exclude those public bodies that are carrying out executive, judicial, or quasi-judicial functions, unless the meeting concerns granting permits or licenses or the consideration of zoning matters. § 3-103(a)(1). Chance meetings, social gatherings, "or other occasion[s] . . . not intended to circumvent [the Act]" are also expressly excluded from its coverage. § 3-103(a)(2).
Once it is determined whether or not an entity is a public body for the purposes of the Act, it matters little where among the branches of government an entity resides. Rather, the Act's applicability depends on the function that the entity is performing when holding a meeting. See Board of County Comm'rs v. Landmark Community Newspapers, 293 Md. 595, 602-05, 446 A.2d 63 (1982). Prior to the 1991 amendment, the Act required open meetings for public bodies engaged in legislative, quasi-legislative or advisory functions. Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 10-505 (1984) (repealed 1992). The new language simply states that "[e]xcept as otherwise expressly provided . . . a public body shall meet in open session." § 3-301. However, the current version, like the repealed version, makes the Act inapplicable to public bodies that are carrying out administrative, judicial, or quasi-judicial functions. § 3-103(a)(1).
[A]ny state or local legislative or governing body, including a board, commission, committee, subcommittee, authority, or council, which is empowered by state constitution, statute, charter, ordinance, resolution, or rule to exercise governmental or proprietary authority or perform a governmental or proprietary function, or a lessee there of performing an essential public purpose and function pursuant to the lease agreement.
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 15.262(a).
(c) A limited-purpose association that is created for a rural agricultural residential common-interest community as defined in subsection 6 of NRS 116.1201.
The Supreme Court has ruled the some Quasi-public entities are subject to the Statute. See, e. g., Professional firefighters of New Hampshire v. HealthTrust, Inc., 151 N.H. 501 (2004).
A public body is an elected or appointed body (i) with two or more members that (ii) exercises a legislative policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, or advisory function. Any group that carries out activities on behalf of a public body or advises a public body is treated as a public body for the purposes of the Open Meetings Law. A public body may not delegate responsibility to private entities and thereby avoid performing public functions in a public manner.
A committee of a public body is a public body. If a board qualifies as a public body under the basic definition and if that board has committees composed of its own members, those committees are fully public.
“Constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina” are subject to the Open Meetings Law.
If the local government has outstanding debt for the hospital or if the local government appropriates funds to support the hospital, then the governing board of that hospital (and any subdivision thereof) is a public body. If a non-profit corporation agrees to operate the hospital as a community general hospital, the hospital’s governing board is a public body.
c. Organizations or agencies supported in whole or in part by public funds, or expending public funds.
All “governing bodies” are covered. Governing body “means the members of any public body which consists of two or more members, with the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration.” ORS 192.610(3). See Tri-Cty. Metro. Transp. Dist. of Oregon TriMet v. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, 362 Or. 484, 488 (2018) (“The Public Meetings Law regulates the decision-making process of ‘governing bod[ies]’ and ‘public bod[ies].’”).
The OML applies to meetings of all public bodies, which are defined as “any department, agency, commission, committee, board, council, bureau, or authority or any subdivision thereof of state or municipal government,” and shall include all authorities defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-1(2). R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-2(3). However, any political party, organization, or unit thereof meeting or convening is not and should not be considered to be a public body. Id.
"Public bodies" which are defined in the act as any public or governmental body or political subdivision of the state and entities supported in whole or in part by public funds or expending public funds. S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-20(a).
The Act applies to any member of any governing body. "Governing body" is defined as "members of any public body which consists of two (2) or more members, with the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration and also means a community action agency which administers community action programs under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. § 2790." T.C.A. § 8-44-102(b). Specifically excluded from the ambit of "governing body" are administrative officers who do not formulate policies for a governing body. Fain v. Faculty of the College of Law of the University of Tennessee, 552 S.W.2d 752 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1977) (holding that law school dean was not a governing body and faculty and committee meetings of law school were not subject to the Act); Mid-South Publishing Co. v. The Tennessee State University, 1990 WL 207410 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1990) (holding that university chancellor was not governing body and that his meetings with advisory committee were not subject to the Act).
The Act does not define the term "member." According to an Attorney General opinion, an individual becomes a member of a governing body when he or she has completed all the requirements necessary to qualify to perform the official duties of a member and his or her term of office has begun. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 99-043 (Feb. 25, 1998). More specifically, in the case of an elected official, the electee is not qualified to serve until his or her term has begun and he or she has taken the oath of office. Id. (holding that meetings of the Memphis Center City Development Corporation are subject to the Act). A governing body also specifically includes any nonprofit corporation authorized by state law to act on behalf of any local government other than Nashville for the purpose of Resource Recovery and Solid Waste Disposal or Energy Production Facilities. T.C.A. § 8-44-102(b)(1)(C).
Also, the Act provides that it applies to the board of directors of any non-profit corporation that provides Nashville with heat, steam or incineration of refuse, T.C.A. § 8-44-102(b)(1)(D), or the board of directors of any non-profit corporation or association authorized to obtain coverage for government employees in the Tennessee consolidated retirement system. T.C.A. § 8-44-102(b)(1)(E).
(L) a joint board created under Section 22.074, Transportation Code.
[A]ny administrative or legislative unit of state, county or municipal government, including any department, division, bureau, office, commission, authority, board, public corporation, section, committee, subcommittee or any other agency or subunit of the foregoing, authorized by law to exercise some portion of executive or legislative power. The term "public agency" does not include courts created by article eight of the West Virginia constitution or the system of family law masters created by article four [§§ 48A-4-1 et seq., repealed], chapter forty-eight-a of this code.
W. Va. Code § 6-9A-2(6). (The 1978 amendment to this statute removed "any political party executive committee" from the definition of "public body.") See Hamrick v. Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc., 220 W. Va. 495, 499, 648 S.E.2d 1, 5 (W. Va. 2007). In Hamrick, the West Virginia Court stated that the “1999 changes to the definitional section of the Open Government Act changed the term “public body” to “public agency;” this change does not seem to have made any substantive difference.” Id.
A "governing body" consists of "the members of any public agency having the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public agency on policy or administration, the membership of a governing body consists of two or more members." W. Va. Code § 6-9A-2(3).

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