Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Laws Archives - Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Laws

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Open Meeting Law Guide (2025 update)

Open Meeting Law Guide (2025 update)

Published by the Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, June 25, 2025

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsGuidancepdf - 1 MBPublication Date: Jun 25, 2025

Open Forum With KP Law: Navigating Public Records and Open Meeting Laws

Open Forum With KP Law: Navigating Public Records and Open Meeting Laws

This webinar offers an extended opportunity for questions and answers on the state’s open meeting and public records laws. Recommended audience: all members

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarfreePublication Date: May 27, 2025

Navigating Public Records and Open Meeting Laws

Navigating Public Records and Open Meeting Laws

This webinar offers an overview of the state’s public records and open meeting laws, including legal requirements and common violations. Recommended audience: All members

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarfreePublication Date: Mar 19, 2025

Municipal Law 101 with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane

Municipal Law 101 with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane

This boot camp with the municipal law team at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane reviews key regulatory concepts, including ethics, the public records law, and the open meeting law. Recommended audience: Chief municipal officials, select board members, councillors

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarfreePublication Date: May 08, 2024

Promoting Civil Discourse at Town Meeting

Promoting Civil Discourse at Town Meeting

This webinar reviews how to conduct meetings that promote civil public discourse by developing meeting rules, anticipating contentious issues, creating a climate for respectful deliberation, and managing disruptive behavior. Recommended audience: Town moderators, select board members

Municipal Policies and ProceduresWebinarfreePublication Date: May 02, 2024

Public Records and Open Meeting Laws: An Open Forum with KP Law

Public Records and Open Meeting Laws: An Open Forum with KP Law

This interactive webinar offers an extended opportunity for questions and answers about the state’s public records and open meeting laws.

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarfreePublication Date: Jul 18, 2023

Open Meeting Law and Public Records Act

Open Meeting Law and Public Records Act

Presented by Mina S. Makarious, Partner, Anderson Kreiger LLP, at Massachusetts Select Board Association Newly Elected Select Board Training

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsPresentationpdf - 230 KBPublication Date: Jun 09, 2023

Public Records and Open Meeting Laws: Recent Developments Concerning Municipalities

Public Records and Open Meeting Laws: Recent Developments Concerning Municipalities

This webinar discusses each law in the context of municipal government, as well as practical considerations for municipalities given the March 2o23 Supreme Judicial Court decision regarding public comment at meetings of government bodies.

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarfreePublication Date: Apr 25, 2023

First Amendment Audits: How to Keep Calm and Respond

First Amendment Audits: How to Keep Calm and Respond

This webinar offers an overview of First Amendment audits and how to prepare for one, including strategies for calmly communicating with auditors, reporting the interaction, and determining follow-up measures.

Municipal Policies and ProceduresWebinarfreePublication Date: Jan 10, 2023

A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law

A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law

Published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth in December 2022

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsGuidancepdf - 1 MBPublication Date: Dec 01, 2022

Massachusetts Statewide Records Retention Schedule

Massachusetts Statewide Records Retention Schedule

Quick Guide Schedule Number 06-18. Updated from the Massachusetts Statewide Agency Records Retention Schedule Database, updated Oct. 31, 2022

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsGuidancepdf - 2 MBPublication Date: Oct 31, 2022

Technology and Staffing Needs for Virtual and Hybrid Public Meetings

Technology and Staffing Needs for Virtual and Hybrid Public Meetings

A Massachusetts Select Board Association webinar discussed the technology and staffing resources required for municipalities to run successful virtual and hybrid meetings.

Municipal OperationsWebinarPublication Date: Jun 15, 2022

Ask the Experts: Open Meeting and Public Records Laws, and Municipal Finance

Ask the Experts: Open Meeting and Public Records Laws, and Municipal Finance

Presented by the Massachusetts Select Board Association

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarPublication Date: Jul 14, 2021

Open Meeting and Public Records Laws 101

Open Meeting and Public Records Laws 101

Massachusetts Select Board Association’s annual Leadership Conference series

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarPublication Date: Jul 15, 2020

Common Challenges Faced by Municipal Government

Common Challenges Faced by Municipal Government

Massachusetts Select Board Association’s annual Leadership Conference series

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsWebinarPublication Date: May 20, 2020

Common Challenges Faced by Municipal Government

Common Challenges Faced by Municipal Government

Massachusetts Select Board Association’s Annual Leadership Conference series

Municipal Policies and ProceduresWebinarPublication Date: May 20, 2020

Transparency Basics: Public Records

Transparency Basics: Public Records

Presentation by Kevin Batt, attorney at Anderson Kreiger, at MMA Annual Meeting, Jan. 25, 2020

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsPresentationpdf - 357 KB

Open Meeting Law: Overview and Practical Considerations for Public Entities

Open Meeting Law: Overview and Practical Considerations for Public Entities

Presentation by Lauren Goldberg, a shareholder and managing partner at KP Law, at MMA Annual Meeting, Jan. 25, 2020

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsPresentationpdf - 4 MB

MMA Best Practice Recommendation: Considering Social Media Policies in the Context of the Opening Meeting and Public Records Laws

MMA Best Practice Recommendation: Considering Social Media Policies in the Context of the Opening Meeting and Public Records Laws

Established by MMA Policy Committee on Municipal and Regional Administration, published in MMA Best Practices Series, vol 4, 2019

Community EngagementGuidancepdf - 158 KB

Electronic Records Management Guidelines

Electronic Records Management Guidelines

Provided by the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsGuidancepdf - 96 KB

Open Meeting Law: What is a Meeting and Why Does it Matter Anyway?

Open Meeting Law: What is a Meeting and Why Does it Matter Anyway?

Presentation by KP | Law at MMA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Ja. 19, 2019

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsPresentationpdf - 1 MB

The Massachusetts Public Records Law

The Massachusetts Public Records Law

Presentation by Angela M. Puccini, attorney for the Public Records Division in the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office at MMA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Jan. 19, 2019

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsPresentationpdf - 35 MB

Law: SJC Decision Guides Open Meeting Law Compliance

Law: SJC Decision Guides Open Meeting Law Compliance

By Kevin D. Batt, attorney with the firm Anderson & Kreiger, published in the MMA’s Municipal Advocate magazine, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2018

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsArticlepdf - 440 KB

Explanations for the Attorney General's Revisions to the Open Meeting Law Regulations

Explanations for the Attorney General's Revisions to the Open Meeting Law Regulations

From the Attorney General’s Office, September 25, 2017

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsGuidancepdf - 23 KB

To Tweet or Not To Tweet? Social Media, Public Records and the Open Meeting Law

To Tweet or Not To Tweet? Social Media, Public Records and the Open Meeting Law

By Richard T. Holland, article for Municipal Advocate magazine, December 2016

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics LawsArticlepdf - 3 MB

Letter from Attorney General’s Office to Rockport Board of Selectmen to Settle an Open Meeting Law Complaint

Letter from Attorney General’s Office to Rockport Board of Selectmen to Settle an Open Meeting Law Complaint

OML 2015-164, October 27, 2015

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Lawspdf - 3 MB

Mass Municipal Lawyers Association Open Meeting Law Guide

Mass Municipal Lawyers Association Open Meeting Law Guide

Presentation at 2015 MMA Annual Meeting, January 24, 2015

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Lawspdf - 3 MB

O’Rourke v. Attorney General of Massachusetts decision

O’Rourke v. Attorney General of Massachusetts decision

Presentation at 2015 MMA Annual Meeting, January 24, 2015

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Lawspdf - 786 KB

2014 Selected Statutes and Cases

2014 Selected Statutes and Cases

Presentation at 2015 MMA Annual Meeting by Christopher Petrini of the law firm Petrini and Associates, January 24, 2015

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Lawspdf - 177 KB

Act Further Regulating Town Meeting Notices

Act Further Regulating Town Meeting Notices

Presentation at 2015 MMA Annual Meeting, January 24, 2015

Open Meeting, Public Records, Ethics Lawspdf - 71 KB