Attorney General leads annual Open Public Meetings Act refresher for grants committee

Shane Stroud, introduced at the meeting as the state attorney general, led the committee through the annual Open Public Meetings Act training, telling members the law requires yearly instruction and describing four core compliance requirements: proper notice, public access, open deliberation and good records. "The law requires every year you have training on the Open Public Meetings Act," Stroud said in his opening summary of the session.

Stroud walked members through recent 2024 modifications to the statute that clarify what constitutes a "meeting," expand options for electronic anchor locations and allow, in some cases, all-electronic meetings. He emphasized the need for cautious use of closed sessions — which require a quorum and a two‑thirds vote to enter — and warned that taking action outside a duly noticed meeting remains one of the most common ways bodies violate the statute. "The biggest way to run afoul of the act is by taking action outside of the duly called meeting," he said.

The training also covered practical rules for electronic voting: committees should use roll-call votes when an electronic meeting vote is not unanimous, and staff should preserve audio or video records and meeting materials distributed during the meeting. Stroud noted the legislature has tightened enforcement: prevailing plaintiffs can recover attorney fees in OPMA lawsuits, increasing the stakes for compliance.

Why this matters: the committee will be deliberating on multi‑million‑dollar grant packages over the next two days. Stroud framed the training as both a legal obligation and a practical guide for avoiding litigation, stressing that proper agendas, notice, records and adherence to Robert’s Rules for motions remain essential when the group advances lists of projects for funding.

The committee thanked Stroud for the presentation and transitioned to the review of grant applications and staff updates on program management.