Group: Lawmakers’ Open Meeting Exemption Unconstitutional

BOSTON (AP) — A watchdog group says the Legislature’s exemption from the requirements of the state’s open meeting law is unconstitutional.

The Pioneer Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank, said Thursday the exemption restricts public access to certain legislative meetings and undermines the constitutional tenet that government be accountable to the people “at all times.”

The organization said it asked Attorney General Maura Healey to issue an informal advisory opinion agreeing with its contention that the open meeting law exemption is unconstitutional.

Healey declined, saying in a letter her office lacked the authority to issue such an opinion. Pioneer disagreed and asked the Democrat to reconsider.

The institute did not say whether it planned further legal challenges to the exemption.

The Legislature is also exempt from provisions of the state’s public records law.