Gov. Tom Wolf recently signed Senate Bill 554, sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano, which amends the Sunshine Act, or “Open Meetings Law,” to require state government agencies, local municipalities and school districts to post an agenda online no later than 24 hours before the start of a public meeting.
“The opportunity to review an agenda before a public meeting is a positive step toward increasing government accountability and citizen participation,” said Liz Wagenseller, Office of Open Records executive director. “Access to timely and relevant information is crucial to promoting open and knowledgeable dialogue between citizens and government officials, and we look forward to the continued work of the legislature to improve government responsiveness and transparency.”
Under the Right-to-Know law, the OOR is required to offer training on the Sunshine Act. The OOR will conduct a webinar on the Sunshine Act, including the newly enacted S.B. 554, on July 14, at 10 a.m. The webinar is free and can be accessed at openrecords.pa.gov
