On Thursday, March 23, Governor Healey signed into law a provision that extends the ability of public bodies to continue meeting remotely until March 31, 2025. The law, Amendment H.3548, was previously set to expire on March 31 of this year. This extension pertains to all schools subject to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.
What exactly has been extended?
Amendment H.3548 extends certain COVID-19 relief measures including extension of authority for public bodies, agencies and commissions, as well as Town Meetings, to hold meetings remotely until March 31, 2025.
As it pertains to schools subject to the Open Meeting Law, Amendment H.3548 allows for remote and hybrid meeting options and permits reduced quorums for open town meetings until March 31, 2023.
What do I need to do/know as a school leader?
If your school’s policies allow for remote and/or hybrid meetings with no specific end date, you can remain operating as is through March 31, 2025. If, however, any policies or procedures were enacted to align with state laws regarding open meetings with an express end date of March 31, 2022, such policies should be amended immediately to reflect the extended end date of March 31, 2025.
School leaders should also be mindful of any calendar and/or technological updates that may need to be amended as a result of the extension.
If you have any questions regarding compliance with the newly enacted amendment extending remote and hybrid public meetings through 2025, please contact Matt Plain, Tim Groves, or your Barton Gilman education law attorney at 617.654.8200.
