Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission (IDDC) | Member Orientation and Training
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission Member Orientation 2024
- Montgomery County Boards, Committees, and Commissions (BCC) Member Information
- Maryland Open Meetings Act - Publics' Right to 'Observe' Meeting
-
- Maryland Open Meetings Act: The right to “observe” a meeting Section 3-303(a) provides: “Whenever a public body meets in open session, the general public is entitled to attend.” That means that members of the public may attend a meeting and observe it. With one exception pertaining to the closing of a meeting (see Chapter 5), it does not mean that they are entitled to speak. See City of New Carrollton v. Rogers, 287 Md. 56, 72 (1980) (“While the Act does not afford the public any right to participate in the meetings, it does assure the public right to observe the deliberative Chapter 3: Open Meeting Requirement Open Meetings Act Manual (11th ed., October 2022) 3-2 process and the making of decisions by the public body at open meetings.”). So, unless the public body is governed by laws that require the particular public body to receive public comment, the decision of whether to allow members of the public to speak is up to the public body.
- (“A public body . . . does not violate the Act by failing to provide members of the public with the ability to offer oral comments during a meeting.”); 8 OMCB Opinions 84, 85 (2012).
-
- Maryland Open Meetings Act - Supplemental Requirements (Bill No. 8-23) - Effective July, 3, 2023
- Summary - Bill 8-23 - Boards, Committees, and Commissions - Open Meetings Supplemental Requirements (PDF)
- Bill 8-23 - Boards, Committees, and Commissions - Open Meetings Supplemental Requirements (PDF)
- (1) require boards, committees, and commissions to publish, within certain timeframes, the dates, times and locations of meetings, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes; (2) require boards, committees, and commissions to make meeting recordings available under certain circumstances; (3) [[require the posting of draft meeting minutes under certain circumstances; (4) ]] require certain reporting by the Office of the County Executive to the Council; and [[(5)]] (4) generally amend the laws regarding boards, committees, and commissions and regarding open meetings.
- Policies and Procedures (Lobbying, Rules of Order, Voting Procedures, Staff and Chair Responsibilities, Attendance, Conduct Expectations, Reasons for Removal)
- General Remarks on Lobbying - County Attorney Mark Hanson
- Tips for Effective Lobbying
- Political Activity - Running for Office and Serving on a Commission or as an Employee
- Summary of Roberts Rules of Order
- BCC Voting Procedures
- Boards, Committees, Commissions (BCC) Staff and Chair Responsibilities
- Attendance Provisions and Conduct Expectations
- BCC Inclement Weather Policy
- Meeting Accessibility Policy
- Reimbursement Policy
- BCC Reimbursement Form
- General Volunteer Registration Form
- Driver Volunteer Registration Form
- Montgomery County Government Organization
- Legislation - Legal / By-Laws
- Enabling Legislation - Bill 10-23 - Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission (Enacted March 28, 2023)
- Montgomery County Code - Public Ethics Law, Chapter 19A
- Montgomery County Public Ethics Law - BCC Training
- Open Meetings Act - Memorandum
- Open Meetings Act - Frequently Asked Questions
- Written Statement for Closing A Meeting Under the Open Meetings Act
- Website Information for Boards, Committees, Commissions
- Mandatory Trainings - Ethics, Open Meetings Act, Parliamentary Procedures
Staff
Crystel Britto, Staff Liaison
Email: [email protected]