# General Provisions (GGP)

## Title 3. Open Meetings Act

### Subtitle 1. Definitions; General Provisions

#### Section 3-101

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b)

  (1) "Administrative function" means the administration of:

    (i) a law of the State;

    (ii) a law of a political subdivision of the State; or

    (iii) a rule, regulation, or bylaw of a public body.

  (2) "Administrative function" does not include:

    (i) an advisory function;

    (ii) a judicial function;

    (iii) a legislative function;

    (iv) a quasi-judicial function; or

    (v) a quasi-legislative function.

(c) "Advisory function" means the study of a matter of public concern, or the making of recommendations on the matter, under a delegation of responsibility by:

  (1) law;

  (2) the Governor or an official who is subject to the policy direction of the Governor;

  (3) the chief executive officer of a political subdivision of the State or an official who is subject to the policy direction of the chief executive officer; or

  (4) formal action by or for a public body that exercises an administrative function, judicial function, legislative function, quasi-judicial function, or quasi-legislative function.

(d) "Board" means the State Open Meetings Law Compliance Board.

(d-1) "Class on the open meetings law" means:

  (1) an online class on the requirements of the open meetings law offered by the Office of the Attorney General and the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service and Research;

  (2) a class on the requirements of the open meetings law offered by the Maryland Association of Counties or the Maryland Municipal League through the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance; or

  (3) a class on the requirements of the open meetings law offered by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education through the Boardsmanship Academy Program.

(e)

  (1) "Judicial function" means the exercise of any power of the Judicial Branch of the State government.

  (2) "Judicial function" includes the exercise of:

    (i) a power for which Article IV, Sec. 1 of the Maryland Constitution provides;

    (ii) a function of a grand jury;

    (iii) a function of a petit jury;

    (iv) a function of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities; and

    (v) a function of a judicial nominating commission.

  (3) "Judicial function" does not include the exercise of rulemaking power by a court.

(f) "Legislative function" means the process or act of:

  (1) approving, disapproving, enacting, amending, or repealing a law or other measure to set public policy;

  (2) approving or disapproving an appointment;

  (3) proposing or ratifying a constitution or constitutional amendment; or

  (4) proposing or ratifying a charter or charter amendment.

(g) "Meet" means to convene a quorum of a public body to consider or transact public business.

(h)

  (1) "Public body" means an entity that:

    (i) consists of at least two individuals; and

    (ii) is created by:

      (1) the Maryland Constitution;

      (2) a State statute;

      (3) a county or municipal charter;

      (4) a memorandum of understanding or a master agreement to which a majority of the county boards of education and the State Department of Education are signatories;

      (5) an ordinance;

      (6) a rule, resolution, or bylaw;

      (7) an executive order of the Governor; or

      (8) an executive order of the chief executive authority of a political subdivision of the State.

  (2) "Public body" includes:

    (i) any multimember board, commission, or committee appointed by the Governor or the chief executive authority of a political subdivision of the State, or appointed by an official who is subject to the policy direction of the Governor or chief executive authority of the political subdivision, if the entity includes in its membership at least two individuals not employed by the State or the political subdivision;

    (ii) any multimember board, commission, or committee that:

      (1) is appointed by:

      (A) an entity in the Executive Branch of the State government, the members of which are appointed by the Governor, and that otherwise meets the definition of a public body under this subsection; or

      (B) an official who is subject to the policy direction of an entity described in item A of this item; and

      (2) includes in its membership at least two individuals who are not members of the appointing entity or employed by the State; and

    (iii) The Maryland School for the Blind.

  (3) "Public body" does not include:

    (i) any single member entity;

    (ii) any judicial nominating commission;

    (iii) any grand jury;

    (iv) any petit jury;

    (v) the Appalachian States Low Level Radioactive Waste Commission established in Sec. 7-302 of the Environment Article;

    (vi) except when a court is exercising rulemaking power, any court established in accordance with Article IV of the Maryland Constitution;

    (vii) the Governor's cabinet, the Governor's Executive Council as provided in Title 8, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article, or any committee of the Executive Council;

    (viii) a local government's counterpart to the Governor's cabinet, Executive Council, or any committee of the counterpart of the Executive Council;

    (ix) except as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection, a subcommittee of a public body as defined in paragraph (2)(i) of this subsection;

    (x) the governing body of a hospital as defined in Sec. 19-301 of the Health - General Article; and

    (xi) a self-insurance pool that is established in accordance with Title 19, Subtitle 6 of the Insurance Article or Sec. 9-404 of the Labor and Employment Article by:

      (1) a public entity, as defined in Sec. 19-602 of the Insurance Article; or

      (2) a county or municipal corporation, as described in Sec. 9-404 of the Labor and Employment Article.

(i) "Quasi-judicial function" means a determination of:

  (1) a contested case to which Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article applies;

  (2) a proceeding before an administrative agency for which Title 7, Chapter 200 of the Maryland Rules would govern judicial review; or

  (3) a complaint by the Board in accordance with this title.

(j) "Quasi-legislative function" means the process or act of:

  (1) adopting, disapproving, amending, or repealing a rule, regulation, or bylaw that has the force of law, including a rule of a court;

  (2) approving, disapproving, or amending a budget; or

  (3) approving, disapproving, or amending a contract.

(k) "Quorum" means:

  (1) a majority of the members of a public body; or

  (2) the number of members that the law requires.

#### Section 3-102

(a) It is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that, except in special and appropriate circumstances:

  (1) public business be conducted openly and publicly; and

  (2) the public be allowed to observe:

    (i) the performance of public officials; and

    (ii) the deliberations and decisions that the making of public policy involves.

(b)

  (1) The ability of the public, its representatives, and the media to attend, report on, and broadcast meetings of public bodies and to witness the phases of the deliberation, policy formation, and decision making of public bodies ensures the accountability of government to the citizens of the State.

  (2) The conduct of public business in open meetings increases the faith of the public in government and enhances the effectiveness of the public in fulfilling its role in a democratic society.

(c) Except in special and appropriate circumstances when meetings of public bodies may be closed under this title, it is the public policy of the State that the public be provided with adequate notice of the time and location of meetings of public bodies, which shall be held in places reasonably accessible to individuals who would like to attend these meetings.

#### Section 3-103

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section and Sec. 3-104 of this subtitle, this title does not apply to:

  (1) a public body when it is carrying out:

    (i) an administrative function;

    (ii) a judicial function; or

    (iii) a quasi-judicial function; or

  (2) a chance encounter, a social gathering, or any other occasion that is not intended to circumvent this title.

(b) This title applies to a public body when it is meeting to consider:

  (1) granting a license or permit; or

  (2) a special exception, variance, conditional use, or zoning classification, the enforcement of any zoning law or regulation, or any other zoning matter.

#### Section 3-104

If a public body recesses an open session to carry out an administrative function in a meeting that is not open to the public, the minutes for the public body's next meeting shall include:

(1) a statement of the date, time, place, and persons present at the administrative function meeting; and

(2) a phrase or sentence identifying the subject matter discussed at the administrative function meeting.

#### Section 3-105

Whenever this title and another law that relates to meetings of public bodies conflict, this title applies unless the other law is more stringent.

---

Md. Code Ann., Gen. Prov. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)