Posting Notices for Public Meetings and Hearings
The Open Meeting Law requires that meetings of public bodies are open to the public, with some exceptions.
By keeping meetings open, the Open Meeting Law creates more transparency in policy debates by public bodies. Public bodies include all public boards, commissions, committees, and subcommittees that have multiple members.
Unless there is an emergency, a public body must give the public notice within 48 hours of a meeting. This does not include weekends and holidays.
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Still have questions? Contact:
City Clerk
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1 City Hall Square
Room 601Boston, MA 02201-2014
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Open Meeting Law
You can read the complete version of the state's Open Meeting Law online.
Information on a public notice
- A public notice needs to be legible and easily understood.
- A notice must contain the date, time, and place of the meeting.
- The agenda that is expected to be discussed needs to be listed.
- If the agenda items change, the public body should update the notice to let the public know, but there isn’t a legal requirement.
You can view upcoming meetings on our public notices page. Meetings posted by the City Clerk's Office are also available on the first floor of Boston City Hall, at the Congress Street entrance.
How to Submit a Public Notice
To submit a notice to be published on Boston.gov, email your request to publicnotice@boston.gov. Your email must include both a PDF and Word or Google Doc version of your agenda.
Please note:
- The City Clerk's staff processes public notices Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Putting a notice together on the website takes time. Please don't wait until the last possible minute to submit notices.
- We will not post your notice if you do not send it at least 48 hours before your hearing or meeting. Remember, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays do not count as part of the 48-hour notice.
Are you a City of Boston employee?
- We can grant you access to create your own notices in Boston.gov. Contact digital@boston.gov for more information.
For people with disabilities
By law, all meetings held by the City must be accessible to people with disabilities.
If you need documents formatted a certain way to understand them, or if you need a special device to attend a meeting, we can accommodate you.
Please contact the Disabilities Commission at least 10 days before the meeting with your request:
1 City Hall Square, Room 967
Boston, MA 02201-2041
Phone: 617-635-3682
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Still have questions? Contact:
City Clerk
-
1 City Hall Square
Room 601Boston, MA 02201-2014
-
Open Meeting Law
You can read the complete version of the state's Open Meeting Law online.
