AG issues rules on remote participation in meetings

Effective Nov. 11, the attorney general’s office has amended open meeting law regulations to allow members of public bodies to participate remotely in meetings under certain circumstances.

The new regulations address the adoption of the requirements for remote participation, a list of five permissible reasons, the types of technology allowed, and the procedures for using the technology.

The MMA submitted suggestions during the open comment period, and many of the suggestions were incorporated into the final regulations. Among them is allowing members of local public bodies to vote when participating in a meeting remotely.

While a specific list of approved technology is included, the regulations are flexible and include “any other technology that enables the remote participant and all persons present at the meeting location to be clearly audible to one another.”

Remote participation must still be approved by the public body or the municipality’s chief executive officer.

The new regulations are available at www.mass.gov/ago/openmeeting.