Rhode Island § 42-46-2 § 42-46-2. Definitions.

Rhode Island Statutes

§ 42-46-2 — § 42-46-2. Definitions.

Rhode Island § 42-46-2

Title 42State Affairs and Government

Ch. 42-46Open Meetings

This text of Rhode Island § 42-46-2 (§ 42-46-2. Definitions.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-2 (2026).

Text

§ 42-46-2. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) "Meetingâ€� means the convening of a public body to discuss and/or act upon a matter
            over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power.
            As used herein, the term "meetingâ€� expressly includes, without limiting the generality
            of the foregoing, so-called "workshop,â€� "working,â€� or "workâ€� sessions.
         
(2) "Open callâ€� means a public announcement by the chairperson of the committee that the
            meeting is going to be held in executive session and the chairperson must indicate
            which exception o

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§ 42-46-2. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Meetingâ€� means the convening of a public body to discuss and/or act upon a matter over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. As used herein, the term "meetingâ€� expressly includes, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, so-called "workshop,â€� "working,â€� or "workâ€� sessions.

(2) "Open callâ€� means a public announcement by the chairperson of the committee that the meeting is going to be held in executive session and the chairperson must indicate which exception of § 42-46-5 is being involved.

(3) "Open forumâ€� means the designated portion of an open meeting, if any, on a properly posted notice reserved for citizens to address comments to a public body relating to matters affecting the public business.

(4) "Prevailing plaintiffâ€� includes those persons and entities deemed "prevailing partiesâ€� pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988.

(5) "Public bodyâ€� means any department, agency, commission, committee, board, council, bureau, or authority, or any subdivision thereof, of state or municipal government or the board of directors of any library that funded at least twenty-five percent (25%) of its operational budget in the prior budget year with public funds, and shall include all authorities defined in § 42-35-1. For purposes of this section, any political party, organization, or unit thereof meeting or convening is not and should not be considered to be a public body; provided, however, that no such meeting shall be used to circumvent the requirements of this chapter.

(6) "Quorum,â€� unless otherwise defined by applicable law, means a simple majority of the membership of a public body.

Legislative History

G.L. 1956, § 42-46-2; P.L. 1976, ch. 330, § 2; P.L. 1982, ch. 352, § 1; P.L. 1984, ch. 372, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 297, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 379, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 103, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 134, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 453, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 129, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 180, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 475, § 11; P.L. 2019, ch. 98, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 132, § 1.