SB191 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Alabama Open Meetings Act, prohibit serial meetings, to clarify Open Meetings Act applies to meeting of the Legislature, committees, or subcommittees of governmental bodies, penalties, Secs. 36-25A-1, 36-25A-2, 36-25A-3, 36-25A-9 am'd.

Summary

SB191 tightens the Open Meetings Act by banning serial meetings, clarifying Legislature openness, and expanding public notice and penalties.

What This Bill Does

It defines and bans serial meetings and clarifies when deliberations count as meetings to prevent evasion of open meetings. It applies the Open Meetings Act to meetings of the Alabama Legislature and its committees, while noting that floor proceedings are governed by the state Constitution and not this chapter. It requires public notice for meetings (seven-day notice for most bodies) and sets posting and direct-notice rules, including posting by the Secretary of State for statewide bodies. It allows private citizens and the media to sue for violations, with civil penalties up to $1,000 or half a member’s monthly salary and with penalties awarded to the prevailing plaintiff; it also empowers courts to invalidate actions taken in violation.

Who It Affects

• Governmental bodies and their members (including the Legislature, its committees, and local/state agencies) who must avoid serial meetings, post notices, and face civil penalties or court orders for violations.
• Citizens, media organizations, and watchdog groups who may sue to enforce the Open Meetings Act and may receive penalties or damages if violations are found.

Key Provisions

• Serial meetings are defined and prohibited; the bill clarifies that deliberation among a quorum intended to influence a vote constitutes a meeting, with specific exceptions for certain gatherings and for specific high-level searches, and it includes a carve-out for higher education institution searches.
• Public notice and enforcement rules: seven-day notice for most governmental bodies, posting requirements by the Secretary of State for statewide bodies, local posting rules, optional direct notice to interested parties, and civil-penalty enforcement with penalties payable to plaintiffs and mechanisms to invalidate actions taken in violation.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Open Meetings