Arizona’s Open Meeting Law

It is the public policy of this state that meetings of public bodies be conducted openly and that notices and agendas be provided for such meetings which contain such information as is reasonably necessary to inform the public of the matters to be discussed or decided. Accordingly, Arizona’s Open Meeting Law must be construed in favor of open and public meetings.

Meeting Notices, Agendas, and Minutes are often available on the public bodies’ website.

Legislation

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session:

[Updated 2/20/2025).]

Bills in italics did not pass.

Bills in bold were signed into law.

  • HB2169 – This bill would amend A.R.S. section 15-321 to remove language permitting a school district governing board to meet outside district facilities in some circumstances.  As a result, school district governing board meetings would need to take place “at the most convenient public facility in the school district.”
    • The bill would also amend A.R.S. section 15-341 to require school districts to hold board and subcommittee meetings “as a public facility in the school district….”  It would also require school district to make meeting materials available to the public online in the same way it does for meeting notices and maintain them online for at least five years.  It would also require districts with more than 5,000 students to “provide the public with a live video feed of each governing board meeting and online access to video recordings of each governing board meeting for at least five years after the date of the meeting.”
    • This bill received a Yes in majority and minority caucuses on 2/18/25.
  • HB2231 – This bill would amend A.R.S. section 38-431.08 to except discussions amongst a quorum of a three-member advisory or subcommittee from the open meeting law’s requirements.
    • This bill is similar to one from the prior legislative session.
    • This bill was scheduled for the House Government Committee on 2/19/25.
  • HB2279 – While this bill would not directly affect the open meeting law or apply to government entities, it would amend A.R.S. sections 33-1248 and -1804 to expressly permit condominium and homeowners association governing boards to hold meetings “by an online or virtual meeting platform.”
    • This bill was scheduled for second reading on 1/22/2025.
  • HB2927 – This bill would amend sections 38-431, -431.01, -431.02, and -431.06.
    • Would expand definition of “advisory committee” and “subcomittee” to include an entity created “at the direction of a public body.”
    • Would require that public bodies post minutes online within three working days after a meeting and that the minutes remain there for at least five years.
    • Would require a public body to hold at least one call to public during each month the body meets.  Calls to the public must occur within the first thirty minutes of the meeting and “must stay open for at least thirty minutes” or until all speakers have finished within thirty minutes.
    • Specifies that a notice for regularly occurring meetings cannot be used for executive sessions unless all other notice requirements for executive sessions are met.
    • Would require that meetings through technological means must also have a physical locations for the public to view/listen to the meeting.
    • Requires the Attorney General and county attorneys to respond to written open meeting law complaints within 100 days after receipt.  The response must be posted on the responding agency’s website.
    • This bill is scheduled for the House Government Committee on 2/20/25.
  • SB1039 – While this bill would not directly affect the open meeting law or apply to government entities, it would amend A.R.S. sections 33-1248 and -1804 to require condominium and homeowners association governing boards to keep open meeting recordings (if they record their meetings) for at least six months and make them available to any member upon request.
    • This bill was amended in committee and the amendment is reflected in the summary above.
    • This bill received a Due Pass from the Committee of the Whole on 2/12/25.
  • SB1243 – Would amend A.R.S. section 38-431.01 to require that calls to the public happen at the beginning of a meeting prior to the body conducting “official business.”  It also creates additional, related requirements.
    • This bill is scheduled for Committee of the Whole on 2/20/25.
  • SB1633 — Would amend A.R.S. section 15-181 to require that “charter schools, charter school governing bodies, charter school sponsors, charter holders, charter school operators, corporate boards of directors of charter school operators and management organizations that contract with charter schools” comply with the public records law and open meeting law.
    • This bill is scheduled for second read on 2/11/25.

 

News

  • 1/13/2025 — The Legislature is now in session.

Open Meetings – PUBLICATIONS

Open Meetings – REFERENCES

Open Meetings – STATUTES