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<baltimore-city-law heading="Subtitle 6 – Meetings of Boards And Commissions">
  <section prefix="§" num="6-1" heading="Meetings to be public.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">All meetings, regular and special, of the boards or commissions in control of any department, bureau, or other agency in the executive and administrative branch of the government of the City of Baltimore shall be public meetings and open to the public at all times.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Executive sessions.">Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any such board or commission from holding an executive session from which the public is excluded, but no resolution, rule, or regulation shall be finally adopted at such an executive session.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1966, art. 1, §68</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 1, §63</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 57-939</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-2" heading="Failure of member to attend meetings.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Any member of a City board or commission who is appointed by the Mayor and who, during any period of 12 consecutive months, fails to attend 50% or more of the meetings of the board or commission is considered to have resigned.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Procedure.">The chairman of the board or commission shall forward the member’s name to the Mayor as soon as practicable following a 12-month period of deficient attendance, together with a statement of the frequency and extent of the non-attendance.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Action by Mayor.">
      <para num="(1)">Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Mayor shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term.</para>
      <para num="(2)">If the reasons for a member’s failure to attend meetings are satisfactory to the Mayor and are made public, the Mayor may waive the resignation.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 1, §64</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 71-1006</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 13-175</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-3" heading="Yearly meetings required.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Each board or commission established by &lt;cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter"&gt;the Baltimore City Charter&lt;/cite&gt; or the Baltimore City Code whose membership is appointed shall hold a minimum of 1 regular meeting each year.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Meeting to be open.">These meetings shall be open to the public.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Exception.">The provisions of this section shall not apply to the Board of Estimates.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 1, §65</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 72-181</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-3.1" heading="No meeting on primary- or general-election day.">
    <text>No board, commission, council, authority, committee, or other multi-member unit of City government may hold a public meeting, regular or special, on a day during which a primary or general election is being held in the City.</text>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 08-008</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-4" heading="Notice of meetings.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="7-day notice to be provided.">
      <para num="(1)">It shall be the duty of each board or commission established by &lt;cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter"&gt;the Baltimore City Charter&lt;/cite&gt; or the Baltimore City Code to furnish written notice to the Department of Legislative Reference, for posting on a space designated by the Department of Legislative Reference, no less than 7 days before any meeting held by that board or commission.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The posted notice shall include the time, date, and place of meeting.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Emergency meetings; cancellations.">
      <para num="(1)">The 7-day requirement may be waived in case of emergency meetings, but notice of occurrence of such meeting shall be posted as soon as possible, before or after such meeting.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Notice of the cancellation of a meeting should be given at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled time of the meeting.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Legislative Reference to provide space.">It shall be the duty of the Department of Legislative Reference to:<para num="(1)">provide space within the Department or the City Hall, clearly available to any onlooker, for the posting of meeting notices; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">furnish at least 1 copy of each notice to the press.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Failure to comply.">If any department, board, or commission fails to furnish written notice of meetings as provided in this section, such meeting will be deemed to have no legal standing.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 1, §66</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 72-181</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-5" heading="Minutes.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Required.">Minutes shall be taken at all meetings, including regular, special, and emergency meetings, of all appointed boards and commissions established by &lt;cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter"&gt;the Baltimore City Charter&lt;/cite&gt; and the Baltimore City Code.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Filing.">A copy of the minutes shall be filed with the Department of Legislative Reference no later than the 7th day after the next regularly scheduled meeting or within 60 days, whichever comes first.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 1, §67</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 72-181</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-6" reserved="true" />
</baltimore-city-law>
