AG Lynch press release on Open Government Summit at RWU School of Law tomorrow, July 31
Publicado el 2009-07-30 15:39:28 [0 comentarios]
Michael J. Healey
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Department of Attorney General
150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
Patrick C. Lynch, Attorney General
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Michael J. Healey
Tel: (401) 274-4400, ext. 2234
Fax: (401) 222-2725 July 30, 2009 www.riag.state.ri.us
AG’s Office, Roger Williams University School of Law, set to co-host
11th annual Open Government Summit tomorrow, Friday, July 31
The 11th annual Open Government Summit, co-sponsored by the Attorney General’s Office and the Roger Williams University Law Alumni Association, will be held tomorrow, Friday, July 31, from 9 AM to 12:30 PM at Roger Williams University School of Law. The law school is located on the main campus, on Metacom Avenue (Route 136) in Bristol. Media coverage is invited.
More than 600 people have already registered to attend the summit at which Lynch will offer opening remarks from 9:05 to 9:15 AM.
“Our Sunshine Laws are essential to protecting the basic liberties of Rhode Islanders, and I am pleased that a record number of people have said they will attend this year’s Open Government Summit,” Lynch said. “Over the years this event has provided an excellent forum for educating the public about their rights under our state’s open government laws. The more accessible a democracy is, the more likely that its citizens will participate in it and strengthen it.”
Distribution of materials and check-in will take place from 8:30 to 9 AM, followed by welcoming remarks issued by David M. Zlotnick, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Roger Williams University School of Law. From 9:15 to 9:55 AM, Special Assistant Attorney General Michael W. Field, chief of Lynch’s Open Government Unit, and Special Assistant Attorney General Laura Marasco will discuss the Access to Public Records Act (APRA). The pair will review frequent trouble areas in the law, offer tips for advanced planning, and cover topics including how to determine if a document is a public record and how to respond to a citizen’s request for information. Other statutory requirements will be discussed.
Field and Marasco will speak about the Open Meetings Act (OMA) from 9:55 to 10:35 AM. Some of the topics covered will include how to determine if the OMA applies, how to ascertain the necessity of holding an executive session, how to post notice, amend school committee and non-school committee agendas, and maintain minutes. Following their presentation, Field and Marasco will conduct a question-and-answer session.
The summit will conclude with a presentation by Jason Gramitt of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Gramitt’s remarks will focus on identifying and avoiding conflicts of interests under the state Code of Ethics. He will also review, and provide advice on, guidelines for filing financial disclosure forms.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is certified for three and one half (3.5) Continuing Legal Education credits. Seating may be reserved by contacting the Attorney General’s Office at 274-4400, x 2101, or by sending an email to agsummit@riag.ri.gov <mailto:agsummit@riag.ri.gov>.
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Categorias: PRESS RELEASES / Comunicados de Prensa