Legal Research

Bill Would Disallow Caucus Exemption in Open Records Law

The Wisconsin State Journal reports on a new bill (Assembly Bill 143) which would remove the open meetings law exemption for partisan caucus activities.

From the bill analysis:

Currently, under the open meetings law, with certain exceptions, meetings of state and local governmental bodies must be preceded by public notice, must be held in places that are reasonably accessible to the public, and must be open to the public at all times. If a meeting is properly noticed, a governmental body may, by recorded vote of a majority of the members present, convene in closed session for the purpose of considering certain matters specified by law. The open meetings law provides that the law does not apply to any partisan caucus of the senate or assembly, except as provided by legislative rule.

This bill deletes the exception in the open meetings law that makes the law inapplicable to a partisan caucus of the senate or assembly...

Full post as published by WisBlawg - From the UW Law Library on March 23, 2009 (boomark / email).