The open meeting law is a multi-page document. This attempts only to highlight the basic tenets of the law. The League of Women Voters publishes a guide to the Open Meeting Law which explains the law in more detail.

All meetings of a governmental body shall be open to the public and any person shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by this law.

Executive (i. e., not public) session may be held only after roll call vote has been taken during open session.

Executive sessions may only be held for the following purposes:

·                     Discuss reputation, character, physical condition or mental health rather than professional competence of an individual

·                     Consider the discipline or dismissal of a public officer, employee, staff member or individual

·                     Discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation

·                     Discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices

·                     Investigate charges of criminal misconduct or discuss the filing of criminal complaints

·                     Consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property

·                     Comply with the provisions of any general or special law

·                     Consider and interview applicants for employment

·                     Meet or confer with a mediator

The open meeting law does not apply to any chance meeting or social meeting at which matters relating to official business are discussed so long as no final agreement is reached.

Except in an emergency, a notice must be filed with the town clerk and publicly posted at least 48 hours prior to a meeting.

The records of each meeting shall become a public record and be available to the public.

Records of executive session may remain secret as long as publication may defeat the lawful purposes of the executive session, but no longer.

From: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 39, Section 23B