People have a right to know what their government is up to. This is the principle behind the North Carolina Public Meetings Act, also known as the Open Meetings Law. Any government meeting must be made available to the public through both attendance and public records.
City administrators must understand the key details of the North Carolina Public Meetings Act in order to comply. Read on for an overview.
What is the North Carolina Public Meetings Act?
The North Carolina Public Meetings Act, found in Chapter 143, Article 33C of the state’s General Statutes, requires all public agencies, including city councils, school boards, and associated committees, hold public meetings where North Carolina residents can attend, take notes, and record.
Key Provisions of the North Carolina Public Meetings Act
Everyone in city government, from the mayor and city planner to the city treasurer, must abide by these key provisions of the North Carolina Public Meetings Act.
1. Open Meetings
The Act mandates that all government bodies hold meetings that are open to the public, allowing North Carolina residents to attend and observe the decision-making process.
There are only a few exceptions to the requirement for public meetings, and it is usually necessary to publicly propose a private session before one can be held, ensuring the public is aware of any private sessions and their general purpose.
2. Agenda Postings
Government bodies are required to post agendas for their meetings within a specified timeframe before the meeting, ensuring that the public is informed about the topics to be discussed. This helps promote transparency and allows residents to understand and prepare for the issues that will be addressed.
3. Public Participation
Members of the public are not guaranteed the right to speak during open meetings. However, the public can file appeals for decisions they witness in open meetings. The Act allows for public comment periods or designated meetings where residents can voice their opinions and concerns.
4. Notice Requirements
In the state of North Carolina, notice is required for any government meeting. Notices must be posted in a public place, such as a community bulletin board, on the door of the meeting room, and on the government body’s website if one exists. Local news publications and broadcasts may also be used.
Routine meetings must post their schedule and location, and update the schedule seven days before a meeting occurs at a new time or place. Special non-routine meetings must be posted at least 48 hours before the meeting, and include a statement of the meeting’s purpose.
Emergency meetings must be announced through local news media as well as via a call or email to anyone who has requested to be alerted of emergency meetings.
5. Closed Sessions
Closed sessions are those few meetings that are not required to be open to the public. To hold a closed session, first a public proposal must be made during an open meeting and voted upon. Only meetings that address certain sensitive subjects may be closed. These subjects include
- Confidential records
- Attorney consultations
- Purchase of real property (but not the selling of property)
- Employment contracts
- Information about public employees
- Criminal investigations
6. Record Keeping
A government body is required to keep and post meeting agendas, meeting minutes, and other related documents, which become available via a public records request. This includes summaries of closed sessions.
eScribe Powers Effective City Councils
Organizing public meetings can be a complicated task for even the most professional officials. Meeting management software ensures regulatory compliance and helps legislative bodies make informed decisions.
eScribe helps governments and school boards get the most out of their meetings with a comprehensive suite of tools for creating agendas, conducting votes, reporting, and more. For public access, it allows citizens to participate in meetings in person or virtually, with closed caption live streaming, the ability to submit comments, and a request to speak function.
Learn more about how our platform supports open governance in this Greensboro case study.