Vermont Secretary of State Releases New Training Video for Public Officials on Open Meeting Law

January 08 2025

Montpelier, VT – Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced the release of a new training video for public officials about the Open Meeting Law. Under updates to the law from the 2024 legislative session (Act 133), the Secretary of State’s training video will be mandatory viewing for certain public officials serving on public bodies in Vermont, such as selectboard chairs, town managers, mayors, and chairs of state-level decision-making bodies. While it is required for some, Secretary Copeland Hanzas recommended the video as a great resource for any public official, citizen, member of the media, or anyone who wants a refresher on the Open Meeting Law in general or the 2024 legislative updates.

“From school boards and town selectboards to statewide public commissions, a lot of government activity in Vermont takes place in meetings in which the public has a right to participate. As we explain in this training video, the spirit and purpose of the Open Meeting Law is to increase the transparency and accessibility of government in Vermont,” said Copeland Hanzas. “Public trust and participation in meetings strengthens civic engagement and yields more efficient and effective governmental decision-making.”

The Open Meeting Law declares that all meetings of governmental public bodies must be open to the public at all times, with rare exceptions. The Act 133 updates, which included a call for the Secretary of State’s Office to create a training video, codified some of the best practices that emerged from the COVID pandemic, such as hybrid meetings that allow the public to participate both in-person or remotely.

“We’re glad to be able to support folks who have stepped up to serve in public roles with this training video. While following the tenets of the Open Meeting Law requires some intention and effort, we believe it’s ultimately in the best interest of everyone involved, as transparency, accessibility, and trust lead to better decisions and outcomes,” said Deputy Secretary of State Lauren Hibbert.

The video will be available to the public on the Secretary of State’s YouTube page, posted on their Open Meetings webpage, and will be distributed to public bodies in collaboration with partners including the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Vermont School Board Association, and the Vermont Superintendent’s Association. An accompanying FAQ sheet compiled by this group can be found here.

Link to the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O5Pj4NHjbw