Private school board meeting violates act

Article Abstract:

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled in McComas v. Board of Education that a private meeting between four of the five Board members and the superintendent violated the Open Governmental Proceedings Act. The board members claimed that the meeting was informal and did not affect the outcome of the school closure issue decided the next day. The Court found these arguments unpersuasive. It noted that the harm caused was related to the denial of public access to the governmental process, not the decisions made or not made at the meeting.

West Virginia, Sunshine laws

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Animal fund wins access to scientists' panel

Article Abstract:

The US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Shalala that the Revision Committee of the National Academy of Sciences given a federal grant to revise laboratory animal standards was subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Revision Committee was therefore subject to open meeting and disclosure requirements. The Court found that although the Revision Committee was formed by a private organization it was being funded by the government to provide advice that was to be utilized by government agencies.

Standards, United States, Conferences, meetings and seminars, Animal experimentation, National Academy of Sciences

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Meeting law does not apply to governor's advisory panel

Article Abstract:

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the state's open meeting law does not apply to the governor's Executive Council and attempts to legislate how the governor runs the council are violations of the state's constitution. The court stated that the Executive Council is an advisory body to the governor which meets at the governor's discretion and, as such, is not required to give public notice under the law.

Separation of powers

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