§42:11. Short title
RS 42:11 – Short title This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Open Meetings Law". Acts 2010, No. 861, §18. NOTE: Former R.S. 42:11 was redesignated as R.S. 42:26 by Acts 2010, No. 861, §23.
§42:12. Public policy for open meetings; liberal construction
RS 42:12 – Public policy for open meetings; liberal construction A. It is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner and that the citizens be advised of and aware of the performance of public officials and the deliberations and decisions that go into […]
§42:13. Definitions
RS 42:13 – Definitions A. For the purposes of this Chapter: (1) "Consent agenda" means a grouping of procedural or routine agenda items that can be approved with general discussion. (2) "Meeting" means the convening of a quorum of a public body to deliberate or act on a matter over which the public body has […]
§42:14. Meetings of public bodies to be open to the public
RS 42:14 – Meetings of public bodies to be open to the public A. Every meeting of any public body shall be open to the public unless closed pursuant to R.S. 42:16, 17, or 18. B. Each public body shall be prohibited from utilizing any manner of proxy voting procedure, secret balloting, or any other […]
§42:15. School board meetings; public comment
RS 42:15 – School board meetings; public comment A. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, each school board subject to the provisions of this Chapter, except as provided in Subsection B of this Section, shall allow public comment at any meeting of the school board prior to taking any vote. The comment period shall […]
§42:16. Executive Sessions
RS 42:16 – Executive Sessions A public body may hold executive sessions upon an affirmative vote, taken at an open meeting for which notice has been given pursuant to R.S. 42:19, of two-thirds of its constituent members present. An executive session shall be limited to matters allowed to be exempted from discussion at open meetings […]
§42:17. Exceptions to open meetings
RS 42:17 – Exceptions to open meetings A. A public body may hold an executive session pursuant to R.S. 42:16 for one or more of the following reasons: (1) Discussion of the character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of a person, provided that such person is notified in writing at least twenty-four hours, […]
§42:17.1. Exception for meetings during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency
RS 42:17.1 – Exception for meetings during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, a public body may conduct and its members may attend and participate in a meeting via electronic means provided: (1) The governor has declared a state of emergency or disaster involving […]
§42:17.2. Exception for meetings of the pharmacy benefit manager monitoring advisory council
§17.2 Exception for meetings of the pharmacy benefit manager monitoring advisory council A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, the pharmacy benefit manager monitoring advisory council, as provided for in R.S. 40:2869, may conduct and its members may attend and participate in a meeting via electronic means provided that the Louisiana […]
§42:17.3. Exception for meetings of statewide advisory committees of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
§17.3 Exception for meetings of statewide advisory committees of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary, an advisory committee of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners which is comprised of members from various locations statewide, and which acts only in an advisory capacity, […]
§42:18. Executive or closed meetings of legislative houses and committees
RS 42:18 – Executive or closed meetings of legislative houses and committees A. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of R.S. 42:16 and 17, executive or closed meetings may be held by the legislature, either house thereof, or any committee or subcommittee of either house, upon the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the members […]
§42:19. Notice of meetings
RS 42:19 – Notice of meetings A.(1)(a) All public bodies, except the legislature and its committees and subcommittees, shall give written public notice of their regular meetings, if established by law, resolution, or ordinance, at the beginning of each calendar year. Such notice shall include the dates, times, and places of such meetings. (b)(i) All […]
§42:19.1. Procedure for the proposal, increase, renewal, or continuation of a tax or for calling an election for such purposes by political subdivisions
RS 42:19.1 – Procedure for the proposal, increase, renewal, or continuation of a tax or for calling an election for such purposes by political subdivisions A.(1) Except as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, in addition to any other requirements provided for in R.S. 42:19 or other provisions of law, public notice of […]
§42:20. Written minutes
RS 42:20 – Written minutes A. All public bodies shall keep written minutes of all of their open meetings. The minutes to be kept by the legislature and legislative committees and subcommittees shall be governed by the provisions of R.S. 42:21. The minutes of all other public bodies shall include but need not be limited […]
§42:21. Minutes of legislative sessions, legislative committees and subcommittees
RS 42:21 – Minutes of legislative sessions, legislative committees and subcommittees A. The journals of the proceedings of each of the houses of the legislature, as required to be kept by the provisions of Article III, Section 10(B) of the Louisiana Constitution, shall constitute the written minutes of open sessions of the Senate and of […]
§42:22. Presentation and consideration of offer to sell natural gas to a public body, or to operate or acquire ownership of, a gas utility owned or operated by a public body
RS 42:22 – Presentation and consideration of offer to sell natural gas to a public body, or to operate or acquire ownership of, a gas utility owned or operated by a public body A. For the purposes of this Section, "gas utility" means any revenue producing business or organization which is owned or operated by […]
§42:23. Sonic and video recordings; live broadcast
RS 42:23 – Sonic and video recordings; live broadcast A. All of the proceedings in a public meeting may be video or tape recorded, filmed, or broadcast live. However, any nonelected board or commission that has the authority to levy a tax shall video or audio record, film, or broadcast live all proceedings in a […]
§42:24. Voidability
RS 42:24 – Voidability Any action taken in violation of this Chapter shall be voidable by a court of competent jurisdiction. A suit to void any action must be commenced within sixty days of the action. Added by Acts 1972, No. 669, §2. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 665, §1; Acts 1979, No. 681, §1; […]
§42:25. Enforcement
RS 42:25 – Enforcement A. The attorney general shall enforce the provisions of this Chapter throughout the state. He may institute enforcement proceedings on his own initiative and shall institute such proceedings upon a complaint filed with him by any person, unless written reasons are given as to why the suit should not be filed. […]
§42:26. Remedies; jurisdiction; authority; attorney fees
RS 42:26 – Remedies; jurisdiction; authority; attorney fees A. In any enforcement proceeding the plaintiff may seek and the court may grant any or all of the following forms of relief: (1) A writ of mandamus. (2) Injunctive relief. (3) Declaratory judgment. (4) Judgment rendering the action void as provided in R.S. 42:24. (5) Judgment […]