Advisory Opinions Library
Search and research 1,071 opinions published by the Minnesota Department of Administration (1993–present). New to the legal archive? Try Exploring by topic.
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Open Meeting Law (109 opinions)
Open Meeting Law
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Advisory Opinion 26-009 26-009The Commissioner Opined that Rush City School Board did not provide an appropriate statement on the record, as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.01, subdivision 3, before closing meetings on January 29, 2026, …
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Advisory Opinion 26-007 26-007The Commissioner opined that the Metropolitan Airports Commission Board of Commissioners policy does not require attendees to pay for TSA ConfirmID to attend meetings and therefore, MAC’s policy does not violate the Min…
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Advisory Opinion 25-010 25-010A member of the public asked whether the Minnewaska School Board violated the Open Meeting Law when a quorum of its members attended an invitation-only event at a private residence. The Commissioner determined that the …
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Advisory Opinion 25-008 25-008A member of the public asked whether the Twin Lakes City Council violated the Open Meeting Law when it held an emergency meeting on June 3, 2025, to approve a wastewater services contract. The Commissioner determined th…
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Advisory Opinion 25-002 25-002A member of the public asked whether a county board of commissioners violated the Open Meeting Law when all commissioners gathered to tour a county building with potential tenants. The Commissioner could not determine w…
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Advisory Opinion 25-001 25-001A member of the public asked whether a Township Board violated the Open Meeting Law when it selected a new Supervisor outside of an open meeting. The Board filled scoring sheets for candidates during a meeting, and thos…
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Advisory Opinion 23-005 23-005A member of the public asked whether a city council violated the Open Meeting Law when it closed a meeting on the basis of attorney-client privilege to discuss a contract it had with a local school district and decide w…
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Advisory Opinion 23-004 23-004A data subject asked whether a city council violated the Open Meeting Law when it held multiple closed sessions under Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.05 subd. 2(b), to discuss allegations against an individual subject t…
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Advisory Opinion 23-003 23-003Members of the public asked whether a city council violated the Open Meeting Law when it discussed topics during a special meeting that were not described in the special meeting notice's purpose. The Commissioner opined…
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Advisory Opinion 22-009 22-009A member of the public asked whether the school board of a charter school violated the Open Meeting Law when it did not record the closed portion of a meeting and whether the board provided appropriate notice of the pur…
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Advisory Opinion 22-008 22-008A member of the public asked whether a township board of supervisors violated the Open Meeting Law when it closed a meeting to review applications to appoint a new board supervisor. The board maintained that its meeting…
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Advisory Opinion 22-004 22-004A member of the public asked whether a township board of supervisors violated the Open Meeting Law when a quorum of the board held a private discussion before its noticed meeting, and whether the board violated the OML …
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Advisory Opinion 22-002 22-002A member of the public asked whether a township board of supervisors violated the Open Meeting Law when it directed him to access its record of votes that were contained in meeting minutes posted on its website. The Com…
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Advisory Opinion 21-004 21-004A member of the public asked for recordings of a township board of supervisors meetings closed for labor negotiations pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.03. The Board argued that members voted to post the recor…
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Advisory Opinion 21-003 21-003A member of the public asked whether the conduct of a School Board violated the Open Meeting Law when a quorum of the School Board attended a meeting in person, while members of the public were limited to remote attenda…
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Advisory Opinion 21-002 21-002A member of the public made a data request to a school district. She requested a copy of the recording of a school district open meeting. The school district denied access to the recording, indicating the recording cont…
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Advisory Opinion 21-001 21-001A member of the public asked about the conduct of the West Lakeland Township Board of Supervisors under the Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D. The member of the public raised four issues including the re…
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Advisory Opinion 20-002 20-002A board of directors of a nonprofit broadband corporation made up of government entities asked whether it was subject to the Open Meeting Law. The Commissioner opined that the board was not subject to the OML, but rathe…
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Advisory Opinion 20-001 20-001A member of the public asked whether the Greenwood Township Board of Supervisors violated the Open Meeting Law when they denied access to the votes of its members based on a Board resolution. The Commissioner concluded …
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Advisory Opinion 19-012 19-012In Advisory Opinion 19-012, a member of the public asked whether the conduct of a School Board violated the Open Meeting Law when a quorum of the School Board was present at a committee meeting. The Commissioner determi…
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Advisory Opinion 19-008 19-008a City Council held closed meetings to discuss allegations against a staff member after it decided to hire an investigator. Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.05, subd. 2(b), requires a public body to close a meeting(s) to…
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Advisory Opinion 19-007 19-007A member of the public asked whether the Houston County Agricultural Society (“Society”) is subject to both the Data Practices Act and the Open Meeting Law. The Society conceded it is subject to the Open Meeting Law, bu…
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Advisory Opinion 19-006 19-006A city council held a special meeting and provided notice by posting the proposed agenda. At the special meeting, the Council took action on three items that it had not identified in the notice. At a subsequent regular …
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Advisory Opinion 18-019 18-019A watershed district asked whether a member of the board of commissioners could attend meetings via interactive television from Florida. The Commissioner concluded that the geographical limitation imposed by the Minneso…
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Advisory Opinion 18-018 18-018A member of the public asked if a watershed district had violated the Open Meeting Law when it allowed members to participate in a meeting via telephone in order to reach a quorum. The Commissioner opined that per secti…