News & Analysis as of

Municipalities State and Local Government Public Meetings

Pierce Atwood LLP

Remote meetings reauthorized through June 2027

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On March 28, 2025, Mass. Governor Maura Healy signed an emergency law extending the COVID-19 remote and hybrid meeting authorizations for public meetings of local boards and committees until June 30, 2027. The law, Chapter 2...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Township Civility: Dealing with Difficult Residents, Staff, and Elected Officials

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There is not a public servant, employee, or trustee who doesn’t have a war story regarding an unruly public meeting or hearing gone wild. Perhaps it was just a quirky public comment. Maybe it’s a viral comment from a public...more

Jackson Walker

Governor Abbott Lifts Suspension of Certain Texas Open Meetings Act Provisions

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At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 16, 2020, at the Attorney General’s request, Governor Greg Abbott utilized Section 418.016 of the Government Code to suspend certain requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Local governments: The end of the virtual public meeting? All is not lost

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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of public entities had to continue. Amended Substitute House Bill 197 made that possible, by modifying the requirements of R.C. 121.22 to permit public bodies to meet by...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Municipalities: The end of the virtual public meeting? All is not lost

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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of public entities had to continue. Amended Substitute House Bill 197 made that possible, by modifying the requirements of R.C. 121.22 to permit public bodies to meet by...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Settlement of Lawsuit Causes Town of Oyster Bay to Revise its Rules of Decorum for Public Meetings

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

This blog post provides an update to a post that was published on November 30, 2020, regarding a dispute over the Town of Oyster Bay’s recently adopted rules governing conduct at public meetings.  The new procedures, which...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Federal Court Reviewing Town of Oyster Bay’s Rules of Decorum for Public Meetings

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

In response to a resolution passed by the Oyster Bay Town Board on October 6, 2020, that purports to create rules of decorum at Town Board meetings and seeks to prohibit inappropriate behavior during board meetings, a Town...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Virtual Public Meeting option extended through July 1, 2021

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On November 19, 2020, the Ohio General Assembly passed Substitute House Bill 404, which extends the ability to hold virtual public meetings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic beyond the previous December 1, 2020, deadline,...more

Pierce Atwood LLP

Maine Issues COVID-19 Guidance for Town Meetings

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Recognizing the need for citizens to gather and debate at town meetings, and in an effort to protect the health and safety of all those in attendance, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) has...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Pennsylvania Enacts Law Clarifying Local Government Functions During COVID-19

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This week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 841 into law, which permits the limited suspension of certain requirements to allow municipalities to conduct business remotely during the COVID-19 emergency. ...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Coronavirus & The Open Meetings Law: How To Hold Public Meetings During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

The public health crisis created by COVID-19 has forced municipal officials statewide to cancel, suspend or postpone previously scheduled public hearings and meetings.  How do public bodies conduct their necessary business...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

NJ Governor Signs COVID-19 Bills Impacting Municipal Government Operations

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On March 20, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law two bills that impact the ongoing operations of municipal government during the health crisis. ...more

Lowndes

City of Orlando Announces Next City Council Meeting to be Conducted Virtually

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On March 26, 2020, the City of Orlando announced that the next City Council meeting, which will take place on Monday, March 30th at 2 PM, will be “conducted virtually via an online platform.” This decision is part of the...more

Cole Schotz

COVID–19 Alert: New Jersey Alters Public Meeting Procedures During The Pandemic

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While many New Jersey Municipal Buildings are currently closed to the general public due to the COVID-19 outbreak, filings of applications and permits are being accepted, although processing is dependent upon staff...more

Downey Brand LLP

UPDATED: In Response to Concerns Regarding COVID-19, Governor Newsom Grants Additional Flexibility for Public Agency...

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On March 18, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order providing further flexibility to public agencies conducting their meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Order N-29-20 (“Order”) amends a prior...more

Carlton Fields

Florida Local Governments Cancel Public Hearings Due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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With the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and in an effort to limit public gatherings, a number of Florida counties and municipalities have taken the proactive step of canceling or postponing upcoming...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Standing And The Open Meetings Law

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

A popular topic on this blog is standing in the context of a challenge to a municipal determination, primarily under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.   A recent case issued by the Appellate Division, Second...more

Downey Brand LLP

In Response to Concerns Regarding COVID-19, Governor Newsom Suspends Some Requirements applicable to Public Agency Teleconference...

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In response to the developing concern regarding the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), on March 12, 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-25-20 (the “Order”). Among other things, the Order provides...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

COVID-19 and Open Meeting Laws

California Governor Issues Executive Order Cancelling Large Gatherings and Suspending Certain Portions of the Brown Act - Today, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency Executive Order to further the State’s...more

Nossaman LLP

Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order Suspending Certain Brown Act Rules

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Today, in light of public health concerns due to COVID-19, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order suspending certain Brown Act rules....more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

No Committee Exception to Brown Act Public Comment Requirement for Special Meetings - California Appellate Court Decision in...

While the Ralph M. Brown Act provides a “committee exception” to the public comment requirement for public entities’ regular meetings, the exception does not apply to special meetings, a California appellate court said in a...more

Downey Brand LLP

AB 2257: New Brown Act Requirements for Meeting Agendas on Local Agency Websites Effective for Meetings Held on and after January...

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In 2016, the State Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 2257 (Government Code section 54954.2) to update the Ralph M. Brown Act with new requirements applicable to meeting agenda postings on local agency websites. The Brown Act,...more

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense

Satanists Sue Scottsdale, AZ Over Legislative Prayer Policy

The Satanic Temple and one of its members, Michelle Shortt, are suing the city of Scottsdale, Arizona and individual municipal officials in federal court, alleging that a Satanist was denied the opportunity to open a City...more

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