Public Meetings and Public Records

We advise governing bodies and their staff on Oregon’s Public Meetings Law and Public Records Law.

On meetings, we advise on notice, agendas and minutes, on what may and may not be taken up in executive session, and on when communications among board members by email or one-on-one amount to a meeting. We also advise on the public meetings training the law requires of board members.

On records, we help the body respond to records requests, apply the exemptions and set fees, and we defend the body’s denial when the requester petitions the district attorney or the Attorney General.

Services we provide

• Notice, agendas, minutes and executive sessions
• Quorum and serial communications
• Public records requests, exemptions and fees
• Petitions after a denial

Statutes and rules

• ORS 192.610 to 192.690, Public Meetingsdecisions of a governing body are made in meetings open to the public, with notice and minutes; executive sessions only for the reasons the statute lists.
• ORS 192.311 to 192.478, Public Recordsevery record a public body holds is open to inspection unless an exemption applies; the fees, the exemptions, and the petition that follows a denial.

Resources

• Attorney General's Public Records and Meetings Manualthe Oregon Department of Justice's guide to both laws.
• Oregon Government Ethics Commissiontraining on the Public Meetings Law, and the complaint process.