Freedom Corner

From time to time, issues in our town prompt us to examine the law to find the correct procedure(s) to address the rights of the public. 

In this edition we will examine two items: (1)  Is it necessary to sign in before being allowed in a public meeting?  (2) Can anyone record a public meeting?

(1)  The Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is codified in Chapter 14 of Connecticut General Statutes, Sections 1-200 to 1-242.  Section 1-225 requires meetings with government agencies to be open to the public.  Towns and its departments, boards and commissions are government agencies under FOIA’s Section 1-200(1)A). Section 1-225 provides that

(e) No member of the public shall be required, as a condition to attendance at a meeting of any such body, to register the member's name, or furnish other information, or complete a questionnaire or otherwise fulfill any condition precedent to the member's attendance.

This means anyone from the public may attend any public meeting without answering any questions, signing in, or performing any act in order to be permitted to attend these meetings.

The exception is a town meeting where voting is required.  Then I.D. is required to establish eligibility to vote.

(2)  FOIA’s section 1-226 also allows recording of government meetings using various formats without permission.

 (a) At any meeting of a public agency which is open to the public, pursuant to the provisions of section 1-225, proceedings of such public agency may be recorded, photographed, broadcast or recorded for broadcast, subject to such rules as such public agency may have prescribed prior to such meeting, by any person or by any newspaper, radio broadcasting company or television broadcasting company. Any recording, radio, television or photographic equipment may be so located within the meeting room as to permit the recording, broadcasting either by radio, or by television, or by both, or the photographing of the proceedings of such public agency. The photographer or broadcaster and its personnel, or the person recording the proceedings, shall be required to handle the photographing, broadcast or recording as inconspicuously as possible and in such manner as not to disturb the proceedings of the public agency. As used herein the term television shall include the transmission of visual and audible signals by cable.       

This means all public meetings may be recorded, photographed, even broadcast as long as it does not disturb the business of the meeting.