Tennessee § 8-44-101 - Policy — Construction.

§ 8-44-101. Policy — Construction.

The general assembly hereby declares it to be the policy of this state that the formation of public policy and decisions is public business and shall not be conducted in secret. This part shall not be construed to limit any of the rights and privileges contained in the Constitution of Tennessee, Article I, § 19. Acts 1974, ch. 442, §§ 1, 8; T.C.A., § 8-4401. Compiler's Notes. The application of this section to certain attorney-client discussions has been held unconstitutional. See Notes to Decisions, 1. Constitutionality, Smith County Educ. Ass'n v. Anderson, 676 S.W.2d 328 (Tenn. 1984). Cross-References. Confidentiality of public records, § 10-7-504 . Textbooks. Tennessee Law of Evidence (2nd ed., Cohen, Paine and Sheppeard), § 501.4. Law Reviews. Government — Smith County Education Association v. Anderson: An Exception Under the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, 15 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 116 (1984). Sunlight's Glare: How Overbroad Open Government Laws Chill Free Speech and Hamper Effective Democracy (Steven J. Mulroy), 78 Tenn. L. Rev. 309 (2011). Attorney General Opinions. Applicability, OAG 89-139, 1989 Tenn. AG LEXIS 139 (12/6/89). Application of the Open Meetings Act to airport committee, OAG 96-040, 1996 Tenn. AG LEXIS 46 (3/12/96). Application of Open Meetings Act to elected officials, OAG 98-047, 1998 Tenn. AG LEXIS 47 (3/2/98). Application of Open Meetings Act to rural electric cooperative, OAG 97-154, 1997 Tenn. AG LEXIS 193 (11/10/97). Applicability to economic development council organized by county commission, OAG 99-012, 1999 Tenn. AG LEXIS 2 (1/25/99). Open Meetings Act: meetings with consultant and members-elect, OAG 99-144 (7/30/99); OAG 99-193 (9/28/99). Applicability of Open Meetings Act to private discussions between city or county legislative body members sharing a meal together wherein city or county business or issues pending before the legislative bodies are casually discussed. OAG 12-60, 2012 Tenn. AG LEXIS 60 (6/6/12). County commission meetings: quorum and majority vote requirements; requirements as to particular type of space or facility for meetings. OAG 12-109, 2012 Tenn. AG LEXIS 113 (12/14/12). Permissibility of closed sessions of board of public hospital; records of studies considered by board and public inspection. OAG 15-08, 2015 Tenn. AG LEXIS 7 (1/28/15). Law Reviews. Embracing Our Public Purpose: A Value-Based Lawyer-Licensing Model, 48 U. Mem. L. Rev. 351 (2017).