Massachusetts Extends Option for Remote Public Meetings
In the late afternoon of March 29, 2023, Governor Maura Healey signed into law Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, “An Act making appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2023 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects.”
This legislation, which is effective immediately, contains a supplemental state budget as well as a number of extensions of COVID-era provisions that were set to expire. Included among these provisions is the option under Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 for Massachusetts’ public bodies to hold their meetings remotely through video and/or audio conferencing in compliance with the Open Meeting Law, and this legislation extends that option through March 31, 2025.
This news will be welcomed by many public bodies, who may continue to hold their meetings remotely for at least the next two years. The option for remote public meetings became a necessity due to building closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has remained popular after re-openings due to the ease with which meetings can be held and the increased access it allows for the public. Since the remote option first became available, the Commonwealth has repeatedly passed temporary extensions, with this two-year extension being the longest. A number of bills have been filed to make the option permanent, but to date, none have found significant traction.
Upon passage of the bill, MLM issued an Info-Gram to clients, advising them of the extended remote option. It remains to be seen whether the legislature will take the opportunity over the next two years to adopt a permanent remote meeting option, but the attorneys at Murphy, Lamere & Murphy, P.C. will continue to monitor this legislation and advise our clients of any important updates.
