MONTPELIER – Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced the release of a new training video for public officials about the Open Meeting Law. Under updates to the law from the 2024 legislative session, the training video will be mandatory viewing for public officials serving on public bodies in Vermont, such as select board chairs.
The Open Meeting Law declares that all meetings of governmental public bodies must be open to the public at all times, with rare exceptions.
While it is required for some, Secretary Copeland Hanzas recommended the video as a great resource for any public official, citizen, member of the media or anyone who wants a refresher on the Open Meeting Law in general or the 2024 legislative updates.
“From school boards and town selectboards to statewide public commissions, a lot of government activity in Vermont takes place in meetings in which the public has a right to participate. As we explain in this training video, the spirit and purpose of the Open Meeting Law is to increase the transparency and accessibility of government in Vermont,” said Copeland Hanzas. “Public trust and participation in meetings strengthens civic engagement and yields more efficient and effective governmental decision-making.”
The video is available to the public on the Secretary of State’s YouTube page, youtube.com/watch?v=5O5Pj4NHjbw posted on sos.vermont.gov/municipal-division/open-meetings, and distributed to public bodies in collaboration with partners including the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Vermont School Board Association and the Vermont Superintendent’s Association. An accompanying FAQ sheet may be found at sos.vermont.gov/media/kpfdjdil/joint_vlct_vsba_sos_act133_s-55_final_v1-2_07-26-24.pdf A