The Complainant alleged that the RICDHH violated the APRA when it failed to respond to her email asking for documents. Although we expressed doubts that the email was a cognizable request for documents pursuant to the APRA, the evidence indicated that the RICDHH did not have an APRA policy and,...

The Complainant alleged that the Town violated the APRA when it withheld requested documents. During the pendency of this matter, the Town offered to produce the requested documents but conditioned access upon pre-payment. Rhode Island General Laws § 38-2-7(b) provides, in relevant part, that "[a]...

Complainant alleged that the RICDHH violated the APRA when it failed to respond to two oral and one written request for documents. Complainant also alleged that the RICDHH failed to maintain written APRA procedures. The undisputed evidence indicated that although the two oral requests were...

Complainant alleged that the BOC violated the OMA when it failed to timely post its agenda for its September 15, 2016 meeting. While the Complainant attended the meeting, the evidence indicated that the late notice left the Complainant little time to arrange his schedule and that he missed a good...

The Complainant alleged that various meetings were not posted on the Secretary of State's website, but the Complainant readily acknowledged he had no intention of attending all meetings except for a May 3, 2016 meeting. With respect to the May 3, 2016 meeting, the Complainant read a newspaper...

The Board of Canvassers violated the APRA when it failed to respond to an APRA request within ten (10) business days. This Department rejected the Board of Canvassers chief argument that the APRA request sought answers to questions or interrogatories, and therefore, fell outside the APRA. The...

The Complainant alleged that the BOC violated the OMA when it discussed and voted on a matter that was not specifically listed on the meeting's agenda. Specifically, we examined whether the BOC's denial of a motion for issuance of a subpoena was adequately noticed by the meeting's agenda item "...

Complainants alleged numerous OMA violations. With respect to the sufficiency of an agenda item for the School Committee's meeting, Complainants attended the meeting in question and had the opportunity to voice their concerns on this issue and, accordingly, we found that Complainants were not...

The City of East Providence denied the Complainant's APRA request basing its denial on its conclusion that "the documents you requested were from a meeting of individuals which does not constitute an agency or public body as defined by R.I.G.L. §38-2-2." This denial has absolutely no basis in law...

The Complainant alleged that the BOC violated the OMA when it failed to notice a second BOC meeting on July 20, 2016 and when it posted an insufficient agenda item for the BOC's meeting on August 9, 2016. The Complainant attended both meetings in question. The OMA provides that "[a]ny citizen or...