Source: http://www.gfaf.org/open-meetings-act/
Timestamp: 2015-10-06 03:26:07
Document Index: 641910125

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OPEN MEETINGS ACT | Georgia First Amendment Foundation
The Georgia Open Meetings Act was amended in 2012. The latest version, enacted in March 2012, is below. An earlier version of the act follows.
(A) Every state department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, public
corporation, and authority,
(B) Every county, municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision of this
(C) Every department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, authority, or similar body of
each such county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the state;
(D) Every city, county, regional, or other authority established pursuant to the laws of this state;
(E) Any nonprofit organization to which there is a direct allocation of tax funds made by
the governing body of any agency as defined in this paragraph which constitutes more
than 33 1/3 percent of the funds from all sources of such organization; provided, however,
that this subparagraph shall not include hospitals, nursing homes, dispensers of
pharmaceutical products, or any other type organization, person, or firm furnishing
medical or health services to a citizen for which they receive reimbursement from the state
whether directly or indirectly; nor shall this term include a subagency or affiliate of such a
nonprofit organization from or through which the allocation of tax funds is made.
(2) ‘Executive session’ means a portion of a meeting lawfully closed to the public.
(3)(A) ‘Meeting’ means:
(i) The gathering of a quorum of the members of the governing body of an agency at
which any official business, policy, or public matter of the agency is formulated,
presented, discussed, or voted upon; or
(ii) The gathering of a quorum of any committee of the members of the governing
body of an agency or a quorum of any committee created by the governing body at
which any official business, policy, or public matter of the committee is formulated,
presented, discussed, or voted upon.
(B) ‘Meeting’ shall not include:
(i) The gathering of a quorum of the members of a governing body or committee for
the purpose of making inspections of physical facilities or property under the
jurisdiction of such agency at which no other official business of the agency is to be
discussed or official action is to be taken;
(ii) The gathering of a quorum of the members of a governing body or committee for
the purpose of attending state-wide, multijurisdictional, or regional meetings to
participate in seminars or courses of training on matters related to the purpose of the
agency or to receive or discuss information on matters related to the purpose of the
agency at which no official action is to be taken by the members;
(iii) The gathering of a quorum of the members of a governing body or committee for
the purpose of meeting with officials of the legislative or executive branches of the
state or federal government at state or federal offices and at which no official action is
to be taken by the members;
(iv) The gathering of a quorum of the members of a governing body of an agency for
the purpose of traveling to a meeting or gathering as otherwise authorized by this
subsection so long as no official business, policy, or public matter is formulated,
presented, discussed, or voted upon by the quorum; or
(v) The gathering of a quorum of the members of a governing body of an agency at
social, ceremonial, civic, or religious events so long as no official business, policy, or
public matter is formulated, presented, discussed, or voted upon by the quorum.
This subparagraph’s exclusions from the definition of the term ‘meeting’ shall not apply if
it is shown that the primary purpose of the gathering or gatherings is to evade or avoid
the requirements for conducting a meeting while discussing or conducting official business.
(b)(1) Except as otherwise provided by law, all meetings shall be open to the public. All votes at
any meeting shall be taken in public after due notice of the meeting and compliance
with the posting and agenda requirements of this chapter.
(2) Any resolution, rule, regulation, ordinance, or other official action of an agency adopted,
taken, or made at a meeting which is not open to the public as required by this chapter shall
not be binding. Any action contesting a resolution, rule, regulation, ordinance, or other
formal action of an agency based on an alleged violation of this provision shall be
commenced within 90 days o f the date such contested action was taken or, if the meeting was
held in a manner not permitted by law, within 90 days from the date the party alleging the
violation knew or should have known about the alleged violation so long as such date is
not more than six months after the date the contested action was taken.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection, any action under this
chapter contesting a zoning decision of a local governing authority shall be
commenced within the time allowed by law for appeal of such zoning decision.
(c) The public at all times shall be afforded access to meetings declared open to the public
(d)(1) Every agency subject to this chapter shall prescribe the time, place, and dates of regular
(3) When special circumstances occur and are so declared by an agency, that agency may hold
a meeting with less than 24 hours’ notice upon giving such notice of the meeting and subjects
expected to be considered at the meeting as is reasonable under the circumstances,
including notice to the county legal organ or a news paper having a general circulation in the
county at least equal to that of the legal organ, in which event the reason for holding the
meeting within 24 hours and the nature of the notice shall be recorded in the minutes. Such
reasonable notice shall also include, upon written request within the previous calendar year
from any local broadcast or print media outlet whose place of business and physical facilities
are located in the county, notice by telephone, facsimile, or e-mail to that requesting media
(2)(A) A summary of the subjects acted on and those members present at a meeting of any
agency shall be written and made available to the public for inspection within two
business days of the adjournment of a meeting.
(B) The regular minutes of a meeting subject to this chapter shall he promptly recorded
and such records shall be open to public inspection once approved as official by the
agency or its committee, but in no case later than immediately following its next regular
meeting; provided, however, that nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the
earlier release of minutes, whether approved by the agency or not Such minutes shall, at a
minimum, include the names of the members present at the meeting, a description of
each motion or other proposal made, the identity of the persons making and
seconding the motion or other proposal, and a record of all votes. The name of each
person voting for or against a proposal shall be recorded. It shall be presumed that the
action taken was approved by each person in attendance unless the minutes reflect the
name of the persons voting against the proposal or abstaining.
(C) Minutes of executive sessions shall also be recorded but shall not be open to the
public. Such minutes shall specify each issue discussed in executive session by the
agency or committee. In the case of executive sessions where matters subject to the
attorney-client privilege are discussed, the fact that an attorney-client discussion
occurred and its subject shall be identified, but the substance of the discussion need not be
recorded and shall not be identified in the minutes. Such minutes shall be kept and
preserved for in camera inspection by an appropriate court should a dispute arise as to the
propriety of any executive session.
(f) An agency with state-wide jurisdiction or committee of such an agency shall be authorized to
conduct meetings by teleconference, provided that any such meeting is conducted in compliance
(g) Under circumstances necessitated by emergency conditions involving public safety or the
preservation of property or public services, agencies or committees thereof not otherwise
permitted by subsection (f) of this Code section to conduct meetings by teleconference may meet
by means of teleconference so long as the notice required by this chapter is provided and means
are afforded for the public to have simultaneous access to the teleconference meeting. On any
other occasion of the meeting of an agency or committee thereof, and so long as a quorum is
present in person, a member may participate by teleconference if necessary due to reasons of
health or absence from the jurisdiction so long as the other requirements of this chapter are met.
Absent emergency conditions or the written opinion of a physician or other health professional
that reasons of health prevent a member’s physical presence, no member shall participate by
teleconference pursuant to this subsection more than twice in one calendar year.
(1) The attorney-client privilege recognized by state law to the extent that a meeting
otherwise required to be open to the public under this chapter may be closed in order to
consult and meet with legal counsel pertaining to pending or potential litigation,
settlement, claims, administrative proceedings, or other judicial actions brought or to be
brought by or against the agency or any officer or employee or in which the agency or any
officer or employee may be directly involved; provided, however, the meeting may not be
closed for advice or consultation on whether to close a meeting; and
(1) Staff meetings held for investigative purposes under duties or responsibilities
(2) The deliberations and voting of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles; and in
addition such board may close a meeting held for the purpose of receiving information or
evidence for or against clemency or in revocation proceedings if it determines that the receipt
of such information or evidence in open meeting would present a substantial risk of harm or
injury to a witness;
(3) Meetings of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or any other law enforcement or
prosecutorial agency in the state, including grand jury meetings;
(5) Gatherings involving an agency and one or more neutral third parties in mediation of a
dispute between the agency and any other party. In such a gathering, the neutral party
may caucus jointly or independently with the parties to the mediation to facilitate a
resolution to the conflict, and any such caucus shall not be subject to the requirements of this
chapter. Any decision or resolution agreed to by an agency at any such caucus shall not
become effective until ratified in a public meeting and the terms of any such decision or
resolution are disclosed to the public. Any final settlement agreement, memorandum of
agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other similar document, however
denominated, in which an agency has formally resolved a claim or dispute shall be subject to
the provisions of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of this title;
(B) Of the governing authority of a public hospital or any committee thereof when
performing a peer review or medical review function as set forth in Code Section
31-7-15, Articles 6 and 6A of Chapter 7 of Title 31, or under any other applicable
federal or state statute or regulation; and
(C) Of the governing authority of a public hospital or any committee thereof in which the
granting, restriction, or revocation of staff privileges or the granting of abortions under
state or federal law is discussed, considered, or voted upon;
(7) Incidental conversation unrelated to the business of the agency; or (8) E-mail
communications among members of an agency; provided, however, that such
communications shall be subject to disclosure pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of this title.
(b) Subject to compliance with the other provisions of this chapter, executive sessions shall be
(A) Authorize the settlement of any matter which may be properly discussed in executive
session in accordance with paragraph (1) of Code Section 50-14-2;
(B) Authorize negotiations to purchase, dispose of or lease property;
(C) Authorize the ordering of an appraisal related to the acquisition or disposal of real
(D) Enter into a contract to purchase, dispose of, or lease property subject to approval in a
subsequent public vote; or
(E) Enter into an option to purchase, dispose of, or lease real estate subject to approval in
subsequent public vote.
No vote in executive session to acquire, dispose of, or lease real estate, or to settle
litigation, claims, or administrative proceedings, shall be binding on an agency until a
subsequent vote is taken in an open meeting where the identity of the property and the terms
of the acquisition, disposal, or lease are disclosed before the vote or where the parties and
principal settlement terms are disclosed before the vote;
(2) Meetings when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment,
argument on personnel matters, including whether to impose disciplinary action or dismiss a
public officer or employee or when considering or discussing matters of policy regarding
the employment or hiring practices of the agency. The vote on any matter covered by this
(3) Meetings of the board of trustees or the investment committee of any public
retirement system created by or subject to Title 47 when such board or committee is
discussing matters pertaining to investment securities trading or investment portfolio
positions and composition; and (4) Portions of meetings during which that portion of a record
made exempt from public inspection or disclosure pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of this
title is to be considered by an agency and there are no reasonable means by which the agency
can consider the record without disclosing the exempt portions if the meeting were not
(a) When any meeting of an agency is closed to the public pursuant to any provision of this
meeting shall not be closed to the public except by a majority vote of a quorum present for the
meeting, the minutes shall reflect the names of the members present and the names of those
voting for closure, and that part of the minutes shall be made available to the public as any other
minutes. Where a meeting of an agency is devoted in part to matters within the exceptions
provided by law, any portion of the meeting not subject to any such exception, privilege, or
confidentiality shall be open to the public, and the minutes of such portions not subject to any
such exception shall be taken, recorded, and open to public inspection as provided in subsection
(e) of Code Section 50-14-1.
(b)(1) When any meeting of an agency is closed to the public pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Code section, the person presiding over such meeting or, if the agency’s policy so provides,
each member of the governing body of the agency attending such meeting, shall execute and
file with the official minutes of the meeting a notarized affidavit stating under oath that
the subject matter of the meeting or the closed portion thereof was devoted to matters
within the exceptions provided by law and identifying the specific relevant exception.
(2) In the event that one or more persons in an executive session initiates a discussion that
is not authorized pursuant to Code Section 50-14-3, the presiding officer shall immediately
rule the discussion out of order and all present shall cease the questioned conversation. If one
or more persons continue or attempt to continue the discussion after being ruled out of order,
the presiding officer shall immediately adjourn the executive session.
(a) The superior courts of this state shall have jurisdiction to enforce compliance with the
provisions o f this chapter, including the power to grant injunctions or other equitable relief. In
addition to any action that may be brought by any person, firm, corporation, or other entity, the
Attorney General shall have authority to bring enforcement actions, either civil or Griming, in his
or her discretion as may be appropriate to enforce compliance with this chapter.
that an agency acted without substantial justification in not complying with this chapter, the court
shall, unless it finds that special circumstances exist, assess in favor of the complaining party
reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred. Whether the position of
the complaining party was substantially justified shall be determined on the basis of the record
as a whole which is made in the proceeding for which fees and other expenses are sought.
requirements of this chapter shall not be liable in any action on account of having provided access
Any person knowingly and willfully conducting or participating in a meeting in violation of this
chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to
exceed $1,000.00. Alternatively, a civil penalty may be imposed by the court in any civil action
brought pursuant to this chapter against any person who negligently violates the terms of this
chapter in an amount not to exceed $1,000.00 for the first violation. A civil penalty or
criminal fine not to exceed $2,500.00 per violation may be imposed for each additional violation
that the violator commits within a 12 month period from the date that the first penalty or fine
was imposed. It shall be a defense to any criminal action under this Code section that a person
has acted in good faith in his or her actions.’
Following is an earlier version of the act.
(1) ”Agency” means:
(2) ”Meeting” means the gathering of a quorum of the members of the governing body of an agency or of any committee of its members created by such governing body, whether standing or special, pursuant to schedule, call, or notice of or from such governing body or committee or an authorized member, at a designated time and place at which any public matter, official business, or policy of the agency is to be discussed or presented or at which official action is to be taken or, in the case of a committee, recommendations on any public matter, official business, or policy to the governing body are to be formulated, presented, or discussed. The assembling together of a quorum of the members of a governing body or committee for the purpose of making inspections of physical facilities under the jurisdiction of such agency or for the purposes of meeting with the governing bodies, officers, agents, or employees of other agencies at places outside the geographical jurisdiction of an agency and at which no final official action is to be taken shall not be deemed a “meeting.”
(d) Every agency shall prescribe the time, place, and dates of regular meetings of the agency. Such information shall be available to the general public and a notice containing such information shall be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place available to the public at the regular meeting place of the agency. Meetings shall be held in accordance with a regular schedule, but nothing in this subsection shall preclude an agency from canceling or postponing any regularly scheduled meeting. Whenever any meeting required to be open to the public is to be held at a time or place other than at the time and place prescribed for regular meetings, the agency shall give due notice thereof. “Due notice” shall be the posting of a written notice for at least 24 hours at the place of regular meetings and giving of written or oral notice at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting to the legal organ in which notices of sheriff’s sales are published in the county where regular meetings are held or at the option of the agency to a newspaper having a general circulation in said county at least equal to that of the legal organ; provided, however, that in counties where the legal organ is published less often than four times weekly “due notice” shall be the posting of a written notice for at least 24 hours at the place of regular meetings and, upon written request from any local broadcast or print media outlet whose place of business and physical facilities are located in the county, notice by telephone or facsimile to that requesting media outlet at least 24 hours in advance of the called meeting. When special circumstances occur and are so declared by an agency, that agency may hold a meeting with less than 24 hours’ notice upon giving such notice of the meeting and subjects expected to be considered at the meeting as is reasonable under the circumstances including notice to said county legal organ or a newspaper having a general circulation in the county at least equal to that of the legal organ, in which event the reason for holding the meeting within 24 hours and the nature of the notice shall be recorded in the minutes. Whenever notice is given to a legal organ or other newspaper, that publication shall immediately make the information available upon inquiry to any member of the public. Any oral notice required or permitted by this subsection may be given by telephone.
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-1, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1061, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1993, p. 784, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 549, §§ 1, 2.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-2 GEORGIA CODE
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-2 (2007)
§ 50-14-2. Certain privileges not repealed
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-2, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3 GEORGIA CODE
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3 (2007)
§ 50-14-3. Excluded proceedings
(7) Adoptions and proceedings related thereto;
(8) Meetings of the board of trustees or the investment committee of any public retirement system created by Title 47 when such board or committee is discussing matters pertaining to investment securities trading or investment portfolio positions and composition; and
(9) Meetings when discussing any records that are exempt from public inspection or disclosure pursuant to paragraph (15) of subsection (a) of Code Section 50-18-72, when discussing any information a record of which would be exempt from public inspection or disclosure under said paragraph, or when reviewing or discussing any security plan under consideration pursuant to paragraph (10) of subsection (a) of Code Section 15-16-10.
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-3, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1061, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 44, § 2; Ga. L. 2003, p. 880, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 560, § 4/SB 462.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-4 GEORGIA CODE
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-4 (2007)
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-4, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 549, § 3.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-5 GEORGIA CODE
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-5 (2007)
§ 50-14-5. Jurisdiction to enforce chapter
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-5, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1061, § 4; Ga. L. 1998, p. 595, § 1.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-6 GEORGIA CODE
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-6 (2007)
§ 50-14-6. Violation of chapter; penalty
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 50-14-6, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 235, § 1.
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