Office of Information Practices

The state Office of Information Practices has issued a memorandum opinion in a case challenging the State Reapportionment Commission’s agendas and members’ participation in its Technical Committee. Based on the specific facts of that case, the ten-page memorandum opinion concludes that the Commission did not violate the Sunshine Law by discussing items on its July 12 and 19, 2011 agendas, by adding an item to its June 28 meeting, and by members’ participation in its Technical Committee.

Memorandum opinions provide guidance in limited factual circumstances or on issues that have already been more fully addressed in OIP’s formal opinions, and they are not relied upon as precedent by OIP. Given the length of this particular opinion and the widespread interest in the Reapportionment Commission’s work, OIP has chosen to release the entire opinion to the public rather than merely providing a summary of it on OIP’s website. The full memorandum opinion is available here, and a summary is provided under the informal opinion letter summaries as S Memo 12-6 for 2011.