Open Meetings Act (Sunshine Law)

In enacting the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, the General Assembly declared it to be "the public policy of the state that the formation of public policy and decisions is public business and shall not be conducted in secret."  T.C.A. § 8-44-101.  As recognized by the Tennessee Court of Appeals, "Our Open Meetings Law is perhaps one of the most comprehensive and extensive in the nation.  There are no exceptions except those situations which may be in conflict with the constitution." Lakeway Publishers, Inc. v. Civil Service Board, 1994 WL 315919 (Tenn. Ct. App.).  Ironically, the General Assembly itself is not subject to this law.  See Mayhew v. Wilder, 46 S.W.3d 760 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001).