§22.1 Introduction

• Jurisdiction: Washington

§22.1 INTRODUCTION

The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), Chapter 42.30 RCW, was passed by the legislature in 1971 and was modeled on a California law known as the "Brown Act" and a similar Florida statute. See Cal. Gov't Code §§11120-11132, 54950-54962; Fla. Stat. ch. 286. Although the legislature has clarified some of the OPMA's provisions, the law is substantially unchanged since its enactment. There has been relatively little judicial interpretation of its provisions, with the result that many gray areas exist.

The OPMA is to be liberally construed. See RCW 42.30.910; see Columbia Riverkeeper v. Port of...