2012
North Carolina’s Open Meetings Law, Article 33B of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, guarantees the public and media access to most meetings of most agencies of state and local government in North Carolina. The strong public policy of the N.C. Open Meetings Law is that “each official meeting of a public body shall be open to the public, and any person is entitled to attend such a meeting.”[1] The statute contains broad definitions for “public body” and “official meeting,” delineates nine limited circumstances in which a public body may close a meeting and provides for enforcement. The goal for those faced with complying with or enforcing the law should be to interpret the law in favor of openness as required under the law and with a wary eye toward evasive maneuvers.
[1] N.C. Gen. Stat. §143-318.10(a).
