Q: How can I get copies of documents that will be discussed at a meeting in advance of the meeting?
A: This issue is governed by the Open Records Law, not the Open Meetings Law. Generally, documents circulated to the members of the governmental body in advance of a meeting are presumed public, subject to statutory exemptions and the common law balancing test. Many governmental bodies routinely provide the news media copies of the same packet given to members, but anyone can request copies under the Open Records Law.
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