MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Open Public Meetings Act

Hot Topics and Recent Developments: the Open Public Meetings Act

October 27, 2025 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Artificial Intelligence

Staying compliant with the OPMA can be challenging, and the topic produces lots of questions. How can an agency provide notice to the public regarding a special meeting? What can elected officials talk about during closed meetings? And what does it mean to hold a serial meeting?

Legal Requirements for Hosting Government Open Houses or Coffee Chats

August 25, 2025 by Julie Nicoll
Category: Gift of Public Funds , Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act , Public Participation

Local governments should ensure open houses follow public meeting laws, agency policies, and rules on food, space use, and public spending.

Behind Closed Doors: Recent Cases Address Requirements for Executive Sessions During Special Meetings

May 13, 2025 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Open Public Meetings Act

Two recent court cases have revolved around the requirements under the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) for executive sessions during special meetings, offering local governments tips on how to avoid violating the OPMA.

Two people in a meeting play with cell phones instead of paying attention to the meeting

Advice for Taking Electronic Gadgets to Meetings: Use Them, Don’t Abuse Them!

April 22, 2024 by Steve Gross
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act , Legislative Body

Using electronic devices during meetings can help you manage the meeting efficiently and reduce paperwork, but they also have the potential to create additional public records and their use could violate Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act.

Special Meetings: Answering Some Frequently Asked Questions

April 17, 2024 by Jill Dvorkin
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Legislative Body

What makes a special meeting of a governing body different from a regular meeting? Must public comment be allowed during a special meeting? These are just a few of many questions MRSC receives annually about special meetings.

Window cleaner using a squeegee to wash a window

Sunshine Week — It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

March 11, 2024 by Steve Gross
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

During National Sunshine Week, often the focus is on what government agencies are doing wrong when it comes to transparency. While there is always room for improvement, it’s good to recognize the work that local governments are doing right to maintain and improve transparency.

Emojis in Public Agency Communication: Miscommunications and Records Ramifications 😱

February 12, 2024 by Sarah Doar , Alicia Bones
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

Emojis may make it easy to respond quickly to professional correspondence, but public agency staff and elected officials should think twice before giving a thumbs up to that email or Teams post.

Red stamp labeled cancelled set against business to do list

Best Laid Plans: Following the OPMA When Adjourning or Canceling a Public Meeting

December 4, 2023 by Sarah Doar
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

Sometimes a public meeting cannot occur at the scheduled time. When unforeseen circumstances intervene, procedures outlined in the Open Public Meetings Act allow an agency to adjourn any type of public meeting to a later time and place. Advance cancellation is also allowed.

New Materials Help Local Governments Comply with the Open Public Meetings Act

June 26, 2023 by Flannary Collins
Category: MRSC News and Updates , Open Public Meetings Act

From our comprehensive Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) publication to new guidance sheets on meeting minutes and meeting agendas, MRSC has revamped and completely updated its OPMA materials — including webpages and downloadable materials — to help agencies stay compliant.

Two officials sitting at a dais during an open public meeting as seen through the lens of a video camera

Practical Tips for Holding Hybrid Meetings

May 8, 2023 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Legislative Body

After years of practice during the pandemic, local governments have become accustomed to holding hybrid public meetings, but that doesn't mean the process is always seamless. Fortunately many have developed procedures and methods to address the most common problems.

A close up of a person working on a laptop to retrieve files while sitting in a sunbeam

It’s Sunshine Week Somewhere

March 6, 2023 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

Even during the gloomy winter months, we can all applaud Sunshine Week, which celebrates open government.

Are You Up-to-Date on the Open Public Meetings Act? Test Your Knowledge

January 23, 2023 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

Since 2020, the Open Public Meetings Act has gone through significant changes, requiring local government staff and elected officials to stay abreast of the changes. How confident are you in your OPMA knowledge?

New Technology, Same Old Open Government Challenges

January 9, 2023 by Sarah Doar
Category: Information Technology , Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

Software such as Microsoft Teams can help to facilitate communication in a workplace, but the use of such tools is tricky for governing bodies whose meetings must be open to the public and whose communications should be easily searchable if a public records request arises.

Washington’s COVID-19 State of Emergency Ends October 31: What Does this Mean for Local Governments?

October 6, 2022 by Flannary Collins
Category: COVID-19 , Open Public Meetings Act

Washington's state of emergency and remaining emergency proclamations related to the COVID-19 pandemic are scheduled to be lifted on October 31, 2022. What impact will this have on open public meetings, vaccine mandates, and requirements related to masking and disease tracking?

Expectations of Confidentiality and OPMA Executive Sessions

June 16, 2022 by MRSC Insight
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

How confidential is information discussed during an executive session, and what are the expectations that those involved in the discussion should keep this information private?

HB 1329: Answers to Your OPMA Questions

May 19, 2022 by Steve Gross
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , New Legislation and Regulations

MRSC has gotten a lot of questions from local governments about HB 1329 and how it impacts remote public meetings, public comment, adjournment, and more. This blog addresses some common concerns.

The OPMA Gets an Update from the Legislature

March 24, 2022 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , New Legislation and Regulations

The 2022 legislative session made changes to the Open Public Meetings Act, some of which take effect immediately and others not until June. This blog looks at new requirements about physical location, special meeting notice, and public comment and clarifies the effective dates.

Technology and Open Government: Maximizing Participation and Transparency

February 28, 2022 by Oskar Rey
Category: Information Technology , Open Public Meetings Act , Public Participation

Obtaining a broad spectrum of public participation in local government meetings can be challenging. This blog looks at a few examples of the innovative tools and approaches Washington agencies are using.

What Constitutes a Serial Meeting under the OPMA?

November 23, 2020 by Oskar Rey
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

This blog reviews what is considered a "serial" meeting under the Open Public Meetings Act and how governing bodies, now using a variety of communication options, can avoid violating the Act.

Are Your Public Meetings Truly “Open” to the Public?

January 27, 2020 by Sarah Doar
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Participation

This blog post considers how local governments could make public meetings even more accessible to the public.

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