Open Meeting Complaints
If you believe that a public body has violated the Open Meetings Act, you may file a complaint with the Open Meetings Compliance Board.
The Board encourages members of the public who have questions about a public body's compliance with the Act to first contact a member of the public body, its staff, or counsel before filing a formal complaint.
How to File a Complaint
Send a complaint letter by mail or email to:
Open Meetings Compliance Board
c/o Attorney General's Office
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Email: [email protected]
Requirements:
- You must sign your complaint and include a return address (scanned signatures accepted).
- Identify the public body involved.
- Describe what happened and when.
- Explain how you believe the public body violated the Act.
- Be as detailed as possible.
Helpful Tips:
- You may include multiple meetings or issues in a single complaint.
- Identify any documents that might assist the Board.
- For audio/video minutes, specify relevant timestamps.
- Focus only on violations of the Open Meetings Act (the Board has no jurisdiction over Public Information Act requests, private associations, or public body decisions).
What Happens Next:
- If your complaint raises issues within the Board's authority, it will be sent to the public body for response.
- If not, it will be returned with an explanation.
- You may submit a brief reply if you believe the public body's response contains factual inaccuracies.
- You may withdraw a complaint at any time.
Public Body Response Process
The public body must respond within 30 days of receiving the complaint and must:
- Address all issues raised in the complaint.
- Be signed by the presiding officer, an attorney, or authorized staff member.
- Explain how the body complied with the Act or acknowledge violations.
- Include relevant documentation.
- Send a copy to the complainant (excluding confidential minutes).
The Compliance Board's Opinion
The Board issues a written opinion within approximately 30 days of receiving the public body's response, provided sufficient information is available.
Important notes about Board opinions:
- Opinions are strictly advisory.
- The Board has no authority to issue orders or impose penalties.
- Opinions explain whether the Act was violated and why.
- Opinions are sent to both parties and published online.
Procedures After a Violation Finding
When the Board determines a violation occurred, the public body must:
- At its next open meeting, have a member (not counsel or a representative):
- Announce the violation
- Orally summarize the opinion
- Have a majority of members sign a copy of the opinion and return it to the Board via:
- Email to [email protected] (subject: "[Public Body Name] Signed OMA Opinion")
- Mail to the address listed above
The public body should maintain a record of the announcement but is not required to report it to the Board.