OPMA Practice Tips and Checklists
MRSC, in partnership with the State Auditor's Center for Government Innovation, has developed the following checklists and tip sheets to help local governments in Washington State comply with the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).
These materials are part of MRSC's series on the Open Public Meetings Act.
Temporary notice (Dec. 2023): We also have a series of practice tips and checklists related to the Public Records Act (PRA). The OPMA and PRA practice tips and checklists used to be listed on a single page, but we have now separated them. For the PRA resources, see our page PRA Practice Tips and Checklists.
OPMA Agency Obligations: A Starting Point
The basic requirement of the OPMA is that meetings of governing bodies be open and public. Use these practice tips to guide your agency's OPMA compliance. Updated to reflect legislative changes as of June 2023.
Notice Requirements
Use these practice tips as a starting guide for OPMA notice requirements for both regular and special meetings. Updated to reflect legislative changes as of July 2024.
Developing and Modifying Agendas
Use these practice tips as a starting guide for agenda development and modification for both regular and special meetings. Published June 2023.
Download Practice Tips for Developing and Modifying Agendas (PDF)
Meeting Minutes
Use these practice tips to review legal and practical tips for taking minutes of special and regular meetings. Published June 2023.
Executive Session Procedures
The OPMA requires specific steps be taken in order to hold an executive session. Use this checklist to guide your agency's compliance with the OPMA related to executive sessions. Updated to reflect legislative changes as of June 2023.
Electronic Communications Practice Tips
Use of electronic records by members of a local government’s governing body can implicate the OPMA. Use these practice tips to guide your agency’s OPMA compliance in the context of electronic records. Updated to reflect legislative changes as of June 2023.
