MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Open Public Meetings Act

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.

OPMA/PRA Emergency Proclamation Will Expire June 1

May 2, 2022 by Steve Gross
Category: COVID-19 , Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

Pandemic-related restrictions on public meetings and the processing of public records will no longer be in effect this coming June, per the newly released Proclamation 20-28.16.

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.

Tips for Avoiding OPMA Violations

February 2, 2020 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

This blog post looks at how local governments can avoid violating the Open Public Meetings Act — using questions recently submitted by Washington cites, counties, and special purpose districts.

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.

Elected Officials Guide — What’s Personal and What’s Public?

January 9, 2020 by Laura Crandall
Category: Administrative and Elected Officials , Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

This blog covers questions about the use of social media and cell phones with regards to privacy and public records and focuses on their use from the perspective of an elected official.

The Open Public Meetings Act Pop Quiz

April 15, 2019 by Flannary Collins
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

This pop quiz will help boost your Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) knowledge and remind you about potential OPMA pitfalls.

Action Outside a Public Meeting, What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

July 13, 2018 by Paul Sullivan
Category: Open Public Meetings Act

This blog reviews some of the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and what can go wrong if those requirements are not met (Hint:a lot).

OPMA and PRA Training Requirements for Government Officials

January 17, 2018 by Oskar Rey
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

This blog post will provide an overview of the OPMA and PRA training requirements for local government officials
and provide resources to obtain training.

New Open Government Legislation: The Odds & Ends

August 28, 2017 by Robert Sepler
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act , New Legislation and Regulations

In addition to some big changes to the PRA, the legislature also made a number of other, relatively minor, tweaks to both the PRA and the OPMA this session. In this blog post, MRSC Legal Consultant Robert Sepler gives a quick overview of these odds and ends.

Use of Electronic Devices During Council/Commission Meetings

June 23, 2017 by Jim Doherty
Category: Open Public Meetings Act , Public Records Act

It seems that everybody is always looking at a screen or sending messages these days, sometimes using a smartphone, a notebook computer, or tablet—what’s the big deal? This blog post examines the issues that arise when members of a governing body text, message, or email during a public meeting.

The Supreme Court Narrowly Construes the “Minimum-Value” Executive Session Exception to the OPMA

June 12, 2017 by Ramsey Ramerman
Category: Guest Author , Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Open Public Meetings Act

On June 8, the Washington Supreme Court issued its opinion in Columbia Riverkeepers v. Port of Vancouver, adopting a very narrow interpretation of the executive session “exception” to the OPMA for discussion about the sale or lease of real estate (the “minimum-value exception”). In this blog post, guest author Ramsey Ramerman breaks down the case.

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