Does the open-meeting law apply to all branches of the government?
No. FOIA does not apply to the General Assembly or to the courts, which have their own rules for who can attend what proceedings. Q: Can I attend any government meeting? As a general rule, all meetings of public bodies must be open to the public. This means that the public body must post notice of the date, time and place of the meeting at least seven days in advance, unless there is an emergency. Notice must be conspicuously posted where the public body regularly meets. The notice also must include the principal items of public business to be discussed. Q: Can meetings be closed to the public? Yes, in some circumstances. FOIA permits a public body to meet in executive session, out of public view, to discuss personnel and other confidential matters. Q: Do I have a right to speak at a public meeting? Not under FOIA. Each agency has its own rules and procedures for public meetings and most do allow time for public comment. The attorney general encourages public bodies to allow citizen pa
