OM 99-07 (1999).

• Case Date: May 14, 1999
• Court: Rhode Island

Rhode Island Attorney General Opinions 1999. OM 99-07 (1999). State of Rhode IslandDepartment of the Attorney GeneralOM 99-07 (1999)OM 99-07 West Warwick Pension BoardOM Advisory 99-07May 14, 1999Senator Stephen D. AlvesWest Warwick, Rhode Island 02893Re: West Warwick Pension BoardRequest for Open Meetings Act Advisory Opinion Dear Senator Alves: We acknowledge receipt of your letter faxed to this Department on May 12, 1999. You are the Chair of the West Warwick Pension Board and are requesting an advisory opinion on the Open Meetings Act (Act). It is our understanding that the West Warwick Pension Board (Board) has canceled two regular meetings scheduled for May 17, 1999, and June 21, 1999. We also understand that the Board previously canceled its April regular meeting. In lieu of these regular meetings, the Board has scheduled a special meeting for June 7, 1999. You are requesting an advisory opinion concerning whether "the West Warwick Pension Board is in violation of any open meetings law." As you know, the Act requires that all public bodies provide written notice of their regular meetings at the beginning of each calendar year. R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-6(a). In addition to this requirement, the Act mandates that a public body provide supplemental written public notice for any meeting within a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours. R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-6(b). Despite these provisions requiring public notice for all regular and special meetings, the Act does not address, and therefore imposes no restrictions, on whether a public body may cancel a regularly scheduled meeting. In light of the absence of language to the contrary, it is the opinion of this Department that canceling the May and June regular meetings will not violate the Act. Senator Stephen D. Alves May 14, 1999 Page 2 of 2 Regarding the addition of the special meeting on June 7, 1999, we find no violation. As this Department stated in Jutras v. West Warwick School Committee, OM...