What kind of meeting was it? And is every meeting subject to public attendance, notification, etc?
For example, if 2 of them wanted to propose and idea and had a "meeting" over lunch or over the phone is it required to be documented?
Do you have the definitions and guidelines as to what constitutes a formal meeting?
If they stop in the hallway on the way to the bathroom and say "oh by the way tomorrow on the floor I'm going to say this that and the other" would that be a meeting?
I'm familiar with the process but very interested.
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In CT, if 2 members meet to discuss legislation, it is a meeting and the open meeting requirements of the Act are in play. If they just bounce into each other to say hey, its not a meeting.
see Ansonia Library Bd. of Dirs. v. FOIC, 42 Conn. Supp. 84 (1991)
There is also a conflicting court case that says a quorum is required but that decision has been abandoned for the purposes of the FOIA Act.
And a meeting is any type of gathering where business is conducted ... in person or electronically or via phone. See CGS Sec 1-200
No such thing as a "formal meeting"; one is either a meeting or just a gathering.
Notice requirements for members of the legislature is basically nill ... just guidelines.
But meeting minutes are still required to be taken and published.
And the venue of the meeting can be evidence that the public was not able to attend (like in a small office or conference room) and was not allowed to view.
I've walked up to two members in hallways, etc. talking and they say "you cannot be here"...I turn on my recorder and tell them that this is a meeting and I have every right to witness it. They usually run away...
I have found so many secret meetings (and I file complaints) that the agency that handles hearing these types of complaints (we have a special agency that hears FOIA complaints~we must go to this agency) now says that I have discovered too many and they don't want to hear the cases as it is creating a burden for them. I have a court case seeking a ruling on this issue. I have even found secret meetings of the agency that is supposed to rule on these secret meetings cases...I provided a party to a case the proof and the lawyer for the party filed an amended court complaint due to the discovery.
I just got about 1000 pages of records from Sen. McKinney ... I'm almost certain to find secret meetings .... I requested the records back in March 2013 and have now just got them...
And I'll be getting 25K pages of records from about 2 dozen assemblymen ... I expect to find many many secret meetings.
I will file complaints about all secret meetings I find.
Right now, I have only about 50 secret meeting complaints filed.
Its a disease.
Once one discovers a secret meeting then one has 30 days to file a complaint. I'll post some info regarding McKinney - the backstabber to gun rights folks and is now running for Gov. It will not look good for him if a dozen complaints are filed against him from different people.
And its possible to void laws made behind closed doors when a decision is made regarding the secret meetings and a court can look at how a law is produced during a criminal trial.
