Visit these sites for additional useful information
Links to state statutes can be found at these sites.
The Freedom of Information Center.
Public Broadcasting System NOW.
The Open Government Guide is a complete compendium of information on every state's open records and open meetings laws.
General Information
Sunshine Laws are briefly reviewed in the First Amendment Handbook.
These reports cover issues dealing with the public’s right of access to meetings conducted by governmental policy-making and advisory bodies.
The Online Media Center provides a detailed article on Federal Sunshine Laws. By Sandra F. Chance, Esq.
State Open-Meetings and Open-Records Laws in Higher Education: An Annotated Bibliography prepared by Michael K. McLendon, Leigh Gilchrist and James C. Hearn was published in January 2003.
Some Assembly Required: The Application of State Open Meeting Laws to Email Correspondence by John F. O’Connor and Michael J. Baratz is available on the Steptoe & Johnson LLP site.
Sunshine Review is a non-profit that collaborates with individuals and organizations across America to promote state and local transparency.
A listing of State FOI Resources is available here.
Alabama
Search Alabama’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 1979 to present.
Alaska
Search Alaska’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Open Meetings Act.
Alaska’s Open Meetings Act is a guide for Alaska government agencies and school districts prepared by Perkins Coie, Anchorage.
Arizona
Search Arizona’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Arizona Attorney General, Agency Handbook, ch. 7 (July 2010).
Arizona Open Meeting Law Changes are available here.
The Arizona Open Meeting Law, September 2007, Link to A Pocket Reference for School Boards, Committees and Councils was prepared by the Arizona School Boards Association.
Open Meetings Act Compliance Check List.
Arkansas
Search Arkansas’ Attorney General’s Opinions.
Arkansas FOIA resources list is available at NW-AR.COMmunity Bulletin Board.
California
Search California’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 1986 to present.
California Attorney General, A Handy Guide to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (2004).
California Attorney General, The Brown Act-Open Meetings for Local Legislative Bodies (2003).
SPJ-Northern California has prepared a Pocket Guide to the Brown Act.
The UAS Sunshine Guide is an open meeting reference handbook created for the Board of Directors of Cal State L.A. University Auxiliary Services, Inc, an auxiliary organization of the California State University system.
S.F. Nonprofits Could Be Held to Open Meeting Laws, San Francisco Chronicle - Tuesday, November 25, 1997 - Page A18, Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Staff Writer.
An on-line version of a Pocket Guide to Open Meeting Laws in California is provided as a service of Freedom Forum.
Too Much Sun? Emerging Challenges Presented By California & Federal Open Meeting Legislation to Public
Policy Consensus-Building Processes by Lauri Boxer-Macomber appears on the Center for Collaborative Policy site.
Colorado
Search Colorado’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services, Open Meeting Requirements (Aug. 11, 2010).
Colorado State Archives provides text of laws pertinent to public records issues.
Colorado Open Meetings and Open Records Laws Affecting Charter Schools was prepared for Colorado Charter Schools by Barry K. Arrington.
Connecticut
The Freedom of Information Center provides A Citizen’s Guide to the Freedom of Information Commission.
Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, A Citizen’s Guide.
Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, Final Decisions.
Delaware
Search Delaware’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Delaware Attorney General, FOIA Brochure.
Florida
Search Florida’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Florida Attorney General, Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual (2011).
Florida’s Attorney General lists links to state statutes and Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual.
These Most Frequently Asked Questions on Florida’s Open Government Laws are intended to be used as a reference only.
The University of Florida Office of General Counsel has prepared a Synopsis of Florida’s Open Government Laws.
Georgia
Search Georgia’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Hawaii
Search Hawaii’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Hawaii Office of Information Practices, Opinions.
Hawaii Office of Information Practices, Guide to “The Sunshine Law” for State and County Boards (June 2011),
Openline is a monthly publication of the Office of Information Practices, State of Hawaii.
Idaho
Search Idaho’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Idaho Attorney General, Idaho Open Meeting Law Manual (July 2009).
Illinois
Search Illinois’ Attorney General’s Opinions.
The text of the Illinois Open Meetings Act can be found on the Illinois Emergency Management Agency site.
The Lawyers’ School Reform Advisory Project provides a discussion of the Requirements of the Open Meetings Act.
A Guide to the Illinois Open Meetings Act in pdf format can be downloaded.
Citizen Advocacy Center Open Meetings Act Study By Terry Pastika and Sarah Klaper is available at DCBA Brief Online, the Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association.
Indiana
Search Indiana’s Attorney General’s Opinions. Opinions are available from 1933 through 1976.
A Handbook on Indiana’s Public Access Laws was updated November 2011 by the Indiana Public Access Counselor.
Iowa
Search Iowa’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Iowa Attorney General, Open Meetings Law—Iowa Code Chapter 21 (Nov. 5, 2010).
Iowa Freedom of Information / Open Meetings, Open Records Handbook is designed to help keep Iowans abreast of the requirements of the state’s open meetings and open records laws.
Open Meetings and Closed Minds: Another Road to the Mountaintop, Drake Law Review, Vol. 53 (December 2004) is available in pdf format.
Kansas
Search Kansas’ Attorney General’s Opinions.
Kansas Attorney General, Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) 3 (Aug. 2009).
Kansas Attorney General, A Citizen’s Guide to KORA KOMA Kansas Open Records/Meetings Act.
Kansas Attorney General, Open and Honest Government.
Kentucky
The Kentucky Attorney General’s site provides most open record and open meetings decisions.
Kentucky Attorney General, Open Records and Open Meetings (Feb. 2006).
Kentucky Attorney General, Open Records & Open Meetings Alert.
Guidelines for Managing E-Mail in Kentucky State Government.
Louisiana
Search Louisiana’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 1977 to present.
Louisiana Attorney General, Open Meeting Laws.
Maine
Search Maine's Attorney General Opinions.
Maryland
Search Maryland’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Maryland Attorney General, Open Meetings Act Manual (7th ed. 2010).
Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board, Opinions.
Maryland’s Attorney General provides information on open government.
The Maryland Open Meetings Law Compliance Board reviews and resolves complaints and issues written opinions.
The Maryland Municipal League, the Association of Cities and Towns provides links to resources.
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Attorney General's site provides information and links.
Massachusetts Attorney General, Open Meeting Law Guide (Mar. 24, 2011) is available in pdf format.
Massachusetts Attorney General, Advisory on July 2007 SJC Ruling Regarding Confidential Communications Between Public Entities and their Attorneys (2007).
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Guidelines on the Public’s Right of Access to Judicial Proceedings and Records (Mar. 15, 2000).
MA Open Meeting Law & Conflict of Interest Law is available from Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program.
Michigan
Search Michigan’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Michigan Attorney General, Open Meetings Act Handbook.
Minnesota
Search Minnesota’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Minnesota House of Representatives, Research Department, Minnesota Open Meeting Law (Nov 2008).
Mississippi
Search Mississippi’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Mississippi Attorney General, A Guide to Mississippi Open Meetings & Public Records Laws.
Missouri
Search Missouri’s Attorney General’s Opinions. Sunshine Law opinions are collected here.
Missouri's Sunshine Law Front Page has current information.
Missouri Attorney General, Missouri Sunshine Law (2009).
The Top Ten Things You Should Know about the Missouri Sunshine Law.
A summary of the law and sample forms are available here.
The Freedom of Information Center at the University of Missouri is a specialized reference library.
Sunshine in Missouri: Random thoughts on Missouri's sunshine law written by a lawyer who has an undying interest in this subject which probably only interests a few other folks.
Montana
Search Montana’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Nebraska
Search Nebraska’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Nebraska Attorney General, Open Meetings Act.
Nebraska’s Open Meeting Law is discussed in NebFacts, a publication of the Cooperative Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Nevada
Search Nevada’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 1914 to present.
Nevada Attorney General, Nevada Open Meeting Law Manual (10th ed. Dec. 2005).
New Hampshire
Search New Hampshire’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Attorney General’s Memorandum on New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know Law, (July 15, 2009).
New Jersey
Search New Jersey Attorney General's Opinions from 1949 to present. Opinions from 1949 to 1998 are available from the New Jersey Digital Legal Library.
The New Jersey State League of Municipalities' guide "New Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act "The Sunshine Law" was revised in October 2011.
New Mexico
Search New Mexico’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
New Mexico Attorney General, Open Meetings Act Compliance Guide (7th ed. 2010).
New York
Search New York’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
New York Committee on Open Government, A Primer on the Open Meetings Law (2006).
New York Committee on Open Government, Report to the Governor and the State Legislature 2010: Building a Culture of Openness and Improving Transparency.
New York Committee on Open Government, Open Meetings Law Advisory Opinions.
The Open Meetings Law Index consists of a revised index in which the subject matter of advisory opinions rendered by the Committee under the Open Meetings Law is identified by one or more key phrases.
North Carolina
Search North Carolina’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
North Dakota
Search North Dakota’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Attorney General, North Dakota Open Meetings Manual (Dec. 2009).
Ohio
Search Ohio’s Attorney General’s Opinions online from 1993 to present.
2011 Ohio Sunshine Laws: An Open Government Resource Manual.
Oklahoma
Search Oklahoma’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Open Meetings: the rules most often broken by Susan Loving reviews areas of the law easily missed.
Oregon
Search Oregon’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Oregon Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings Manual (2010).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’ s Attorney General’s Opinions can be reviewed by year.
Rhode Island
Search Rhode Island’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Attorney General’s Guide to Open Government in Rhode Island (5th ed.).
The Attorney General's Open Government / Access To Public Records provides current information.
Open Meeting Law Requirements for Libraries became effective September 1, 2005.
It's Your Right to Know: 12 Essays on the Importance of Access to Government Meetings and Records in Rhode Island was prepared by AccessRI: Freedom of Information Coalition.
South Carolina
Search South Carolina’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 2007 to present. Attorney General’s Opinions dating from 1959 to present are available on the Westlaw or Lexis research databases.
Public Official’s Guide to Compliance with South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act (with 2003 Amendments).
South Dakota
Search South Dakota’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
South Dakota Open Meeting Commission, Decisions.
Tennessee
Search Tennessee’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 2000 to present.
Open Records Council, Operating in the Sunshine:A Quick Guide to Open Meetings and Public Records in Tennessee (Apr. 1, 2011).
Texas
Search Texas’ Attorney General’s Opinions, a Cumulative Subject Master Index from 1990 to present is available.
Texas Attorney General, Open Meetings 2010 Handbook.
Numerous links to Texas Open meeting information can be found on the Attorney General’s site.
Utah
Search Utah’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Utah Attorney General, The Open Book 6 (2008).
Vermont
Search Vermont’s Attorney General’s Opinions since the year 2000 can be found online. Opinions from previous years may be obtained by contacting Angela Valentinetti at avalentinetti@atg.state.vt.us.
The state law library still retains the volumes of bound Attorney General Opinions from the early 1970s and before.
Vermont Secretary of State, A Guide to Open Meetings (Aug. 2006).
A Pocket Guide to Open Meetings 1999 1. Defining Open Meetings 2. Public Notice 3. The Right to Speak 4. Executive Session 5. What the Law is Not 6. Minutes 7. Enforcement 8. Final Thought. A printable version is available.
Virginia
Search Virginia’s Attorney General’s Opinions from 1996 to present.
Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, Opinions.
Virginia Coalition for Open Government - Freedom of Information is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership working for easy access to public records and government meetings.
Washington
Search Washington’s Attorney General’s Opinions are available from 1949 to present.
Washington Attorney General, Open Government Internet Guide, Chapters 3, 4.
Washington Attorney General, Open Government Ombudsman.
The Seattle Times Newsroom Legal Guidebook provides a section on News Gathering from Governent Sources.
Washington, D.C.
West Virginia
West Virginia Attorney General, The West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Act (2006).
West Virginia Ethics Commission, A Guide to the West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Act 10 (July 2010).
Wisconsin
Search Wisconsin’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
The Wisconsin Attorney General and the Department of Justice provides links to documents that are the Department’s attempt to explain and clarify the law. The information is designed to respond to issues of common concern.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has prepared the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law, A Compliance Guide, 2010.
Wyoming
Search Wyoming’s Attorney General’s Opinions.
Wyoming Attorney General, The Open Meetings Act: A Summary (July 1, 2005).
Federal
Federal Open Meeting Laws links are available.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press prepared a "Federal Open Government Guide."