65 Pa.C.S. § 701
Short title of chapter
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Sunshine Act.
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 65 — PUBLIC OFFICERS
Pennsylvania · statute · 65 Pa.C.S. · 44 active provisions
65 Pa.C.S. § 702
Legislative findings and declaration
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds that the right of the public to be present at all meetings of agencies and to witness the deliberation, policy formulation and decisionmaking of agencies is vital to the enhancement and proper functioning of the democratic process and that secrecy in public affairs undermines t…
65 Pa.C.S. § 703
Definitions
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Administrative action." The execution of policies relating to persons or things as previously authorized or required by official action of the agency adopted a…
65 Pa.C.S. § 704
Open meetings
Official action and deliberations by a quorum of the members of an agency shall take place at a meeting open to the public unless closed under section 707 (relating to exceptions to open meetings), 708 (relating to executive sessions) or 712 (relating to General Assembly meetings covered).
65 Pa.C.S. § 705
Recording of votes
In all meetings of agencies, the vote of each member who actually votes on any resolution, rule, order, regulation, ordinance or the setting of official policy must be publicly cast and, in the case of roll call votes, recorded.
65 Pa.C.S. § 706
Minutes of meetings, public records and recording of meetings
Written minutes shall be kept of all open meetings of agencies. The minutes shall include: (1) The date, time and place of the meeting. (2) The names of members present. (3) The substance of all official actions and a record by individual member of the roll call votes taken. (4) The names of all citizens who appeared o…
65 Pa.C.S. § 707
Exceptions to open meetings
(a) Executive session.--An agency may hold an executive session under section 708 (relating to executive sessions). (b) Conference.--An agency is authorized to participate in a conference which need not be open to the public. Deliberation of agency business may not occur at a conference. (c) Certain working sessions.--…
65 Pa.C.S. § 708
Executive sessions
(a) Purpose.--An agency may hold an executive session for one or more of the following reasons: (1) To discuss any matter involving the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of performance, promotion or disciplining of any specific prospective public officer…
65 Pa.C.S. § 709
Public notice
(a) Meetings.--An agency shall give public notice of its first regular meeting of each calendar or fiscal year not less than three days in advance of the meeting and shall give public notice of the schedule of its remaining regular meetings. An agency shall give public notice of each special meeting or each rescheduled…
65 Pa.C.S. § 710
Rules and regulations for conduct of meetings
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the agency from adopting by official action the rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of its meetings and the maintenance of order. The rules and regulations shall not be made to violate the intent of this chapter.
65 Pa.C.S. § 710.1
Public participation
(a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (d), the board or council of a political subdivision or of an authority created by a political subdivision shall provide a reasonable opportunity at each advertised regular meeting and advertised special meeting for residents of the political subdivision or of the aut…
65 Pa.C.S. § 711
Use of equipment during meetings
(a) Recording devices.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a person attending a meeting of an agency shall have the right to use recording devices to record all the proceedings. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the agency from adopting and enforcing reasonable rules for their use under section 710 (relating to…
65 Pa.C.S. § 712
General Assembly meetings covered
Notwithstanding any other provision, for the purpose of this chapter, meetings of the General Assembly which are covered are as follows: all meetings of committees where bills are considered, all hearings where testimony is taken and all sessions of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Not included in the inten…
65 Pa.C.S. § 712.1
Notification of agency business required and exceptions
(a) Official action.--Except as provided in subsection (b), (c), (d) or (e), an agency may not take official action on a matter of agency business at a meeting if the matter was not included in the notification required under section 709(c.1) (relating to public notice). (b) Emergency business.--An agency may take offi…
65 Pa.C.S. § 713
Business transacted at unauthorized meeting void
A legal challenge under this chapter shall be filed within 30 days from the date of a meeting which is open, or within 30 days from the discovery of any action that occurred at a meeting which was not open at which this chapter was violated, provided that, in the case of a meeting which was not open, no legal challenge…
65 Pa.C.S. § 714
Penalty
(a) Fines and costs.--Any member of any agency who participates in a meeting with the intent and purpose by that member of violating this chapter commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay: (1) For a first offense, the costs of prosecution plus a fine of at least $100 and, in the discreti…
65 Pa.C.S. § 714.1
Attorney fees
If the court determines that an agency willfully or with wanton disregard violated a provision of this chapter, in whole or in part, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney fees and costs of litigation or an appropriate portion of the fees and costs. If the court finds that the legal challenge wa…
65 Pa.C.S. § 715
Jurisdiction and venue of judicial proceedings
The Commonwealth Court shall have original jurisdiction of actions involving State agencies and the courts of common pleas shall have original jurisdiction of actions involving other agencies to render declaratory judgments or to enforce this chapter by injunction or other remedy deemed appropriate by the court. The ac…
65 Pa.C.S. § 716
Confidentiality
All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are inconsistent with this chapter, excepting those statutes which specifically provide for the confidentiality of information. Those deliberations or official actions which, if conducted in public, would violate a lawful privilege or lead to the disclosure of inf…
65 Pa.C.S. § 1101
Short title of chapter
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1101.1
Purpose
(a) Declarations.--The Legislature hereby declares that public office is a public trust and that any effort to realize personal financial gain through public office other than compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust. In order to strengthen the faith and confidence of the people of this Commonwealth in…
65 Pa.C.S. § 1102
Definitions
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section: "Advice." Any directive of the chief counsel of the State Ethics Commission issued under section 1107(11) (relating to powers and duties of commission) and ba…
65 Pa.C.S. § 1103
Restricted activities
(a) Conflict of interest.--No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. (b) Seeking improper influence.--No person shall offer or give to a public official, public employee or nominee or candidate for public office or a member of his immediate family or a busine…
65 Pa.C.S. § 1104
Statement of financial interests required to be filed
(a) Public official or public employee.--Each public official of the Commonwealth shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the commission no later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he leaves such a position. Each public employee and pub…
65 Pa.C.S. § 1105
Statement of financial interests
(a) Form.--The statement of financial interests filed pursuant to this chapter shall be on a form prescribed by the commission. All information requested on the statement shall be provided to the best of the knowledge, information and belief of the person required to file and shall be signed under oath or equivalent af…
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