15.261 Short title; effect of act on certain charter provisions, ordinances, or resolutions. Sec. 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Open meetings act”. (2) This act shall supersede all local charter provisions, ordinances, or resolutions which relate to requirements for meetings of local public bodies to be open […]
15.262 Definitions. Sec. 2. As used in this act: (a) “Public body” means any state or local legislative or governing body, including a board, commission, committee, subcommittee, authority, or council, that is empowered by state constitution, statute, charter, ordinance, resolution, or rule to exercise governmental or proprietary authority or perform a governmental or proprietary function; […]
15.263 Meetings, decisions, and deliberations of public body; requirements; attending or addressing meeting of public body; COVID-19 safety measures; tape-recording, videotaping, broadcasting, and telecasting proceedings; accommodation of absent members; remote attendance; rules; exclusion from meeting; exemptions. Sec. 3. (1) All meetings of a public body must be open to the public and must be held […]
15.263a Electronic public meetings; telephonic or video conferencing; “agricultural commodity group” defined; permissibility under certain circumstances; 2-way communication required; advance notice of electronic meetings; availability of agenda; registration requirement prohibited; remote participation limited to military duty or medical condition. Sec. 3a. (1) A meeting of a public body held, in whole or in part, electronically […]
15.264 Public notice of meetings generally; contents; places of posting. Sec. 4. The following provisions shall apply with respect to public notice of meetings: (a) A public notice shall always contain the name of the public body to which the notice applies, its telephone number if one exists, and its address. (b) A public notice […]
15.265 Public notice of regular meetings, change in schedule of regular meetings, rescheduled regular meetings, or special meetings; posting; statement of date, time, and place; website; recess or adjournment; emergency sessions; emergency public meeting; meeting in residential dwelling; limitation; notice; duration requirement. Sec. 5. (1) A meeting of a public body shall not be held […]
15.266 Providing copies of public notice on written request; fee. Sec. 6. (1) Upon the written request of an individual, organization, firm, or corporation, and upon the requesting party’s payment of a yearly fee of not more than the reasonable estimated cost for printing and postage of such notices, a public body shall send to […]
15.267 Closed sessions; roll call vote; separate set of minutes. Sec. 7. (1) A 2/3 roll call vote of members elected or appointed and serving is required to call a closed session, except for the closed sessions permitted under section 8(a), (b), (c), (g), (i), and (j). The roll call vote and the purpose or […]
15.268 Closed sessions; permissible purposes; applicability to independent citizens redistricting commission. Sec. 8. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), a public body may meet in a closed session only for the following purposes: (a) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, or to consider […]
15.269 Minutes. Sec. 9. (1) Each public body shall keep minutes of each meeting showing the date, time, place, members present, members absent, any decisions made at a meeting open to the public, and the purpose or purposes for which a closed session is held. The minutes shall include all roll call votes taken at […]
***** 15.269a.added THIS ADDED SECTION IS EFFECTIVE 91 DAYS AFTER ADJOURNMENT OF THE 2022 REGULAR SESSION SINE DIE ***** 15.269a.added Sound recordings of public meetings. Sec. 9a. (1) Every meeting of a public body that is a state licensing board, state commission panel, or state rule-making board, except a meeting or part of a meeting […]
15.270 Decisions of public body; presumption; civil action to invalidate; jurisdiction; venue; reenactment of disputed decision. Sec. 10. (1) Decisions of a public body shall be presumed to have been adopted in compliance with the requirements of this act. The attorney general, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the public body serves, or […]
15.271 Civil action to compel compliance or enjoin noncompliance; commencement; venue; security not required; commencement of action for mandamus; court costs and attorney fees. Sec. 11. (1) If a public body is not complying with this act, the attorney general, prosecuting attorney of the county in which the public body serves, or a person may […]
15.272 Violation as misdemeanor; penalty. Sec. 12. (1) A public official who intentionally violates this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00. (2) A public official who is convicted of intentionally violating a provision of this act for a second time within the same term shall be […]
15.273 Violation; liability. Sec. 13. (1) A public official who intentionally violates this act shall be personally liable in a civil action for actual and exemplary damages of not more than $500.00 total, plus court costs and actual attorney fees to a person or group of persons bringing the action. (2) Not more than 1 […]
15.273a Selection of president by governing board of higher education institution; violation; civil fine. Sec. 13a. If the governing board of an institution of higher education established under section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 violates this act with respect to the process of selecting a president of […]
15.274 Repeal of MCL 15.251 to 15.253. Sec. 14. Act No. 261 of the Public Acts of 1968, being sections 15.251 to 15.253 of the Compiled Laws of 1970, is repealed. History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977
15.275 Effective date. Sec. 15. This act shall take effect January 1, 1977. History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977
