Product Description

Open government is a cornerstone of our democracy—and is advanced at the state and local levels by the provisions of the Open Meeting Law and the Public Records Law. The level of openness these laws require—and the mechanisms which enforce public access—are important to the governmental officials, counsel for governmental bodies, and members of the public and media who wish to monitor meetings and actions. The expert panel addresses the current state of the Public Records Law and the Open Meeting Law individually, as well as their interaction in the context of local and state government. 

Join us online as our expert panel discusses recent as well as evolving Public Records Law trends and issues. Highlights include recent changes to exemption language as well as changes to the Public Records Law regulations. The faculty discuss emerging topics and best practices including exemption claims, identifying and separating large requests from harassing requests, and strategies for responding to both, as well as managing request responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the panel discusses relevant and important updates within the Open Meeting Law, such as what constitutes deliberation, the requirements for meeting notices and other deadlines, whether remote access to the public is required, and whether there are differences for executive meetings. Also learn what issues continue to emerge with the use of new technologies and their effects upon government function and public access in the scope of both laws and especially during the pandemic and beyond. 

Agenda & Materials

• 9:30 - 9:40 am

  Welcome and Introduction

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  Angela M. Puccini, Esq., Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Public Records Division , Boston
  
• 9:40 - 10:10 am

  Open Meeting Law Developments/ Hot Topics at the AG's Office

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  Carrie Benedon, Esq., Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  
• 10:10 - 10:40 am

  Open Meeting Law Considerations for Public Entities

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  Janelle M. Austin, Esq., KP Law, PC , Boston
  
• 10:40 - 10:55 am

  Open Meeting Law Q&A

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  Carrie Benedon, Esq., Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Janelle M. Austin, Esq., KP Law, PC , Boston
  
• 10:55 - 11:05 am

  Break
• 11:05 - 11:40 am

  Obtaining Public Records/ Common Obstacles

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  Emiliano Falcon-Morano, Esq., ACLU of Massachusetts , Boston
  
• 11:40 - 12:10 pm

  Common Issues for Public Bodies/ Advice for Obtaining Records

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  Angela M. Puccini, Esq., Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Public Records Division , Boston
  
• 12:10 - 12:15 pm

  Key Takeaways

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  Panel
  

Please Note

MCLE webcasts are delivered completely online, underscoring their convenience and appeal. There are no published print materials. All written materials are available electronically only. They are posted 24 hours prior to the program and can be accessed, downloaded, or printed from your computer.

Chair

Faculty