Addendum 2: Wisconsin Open Meetings Laws

Description

March 2025 Wisconsin Open Meetings Law Compliance Guide Wisconsin Department of Justice Attorney General Josh Kaul Message from the Office of Open Government It is imperative that we recognize that transparency is the cornerstone of democracy and that citizens cannot hold elected officials accountable in a representative government unless government is performed in the open. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) plays an important role in ensuring Wisconsin’s open government laws are properly and faithfully executed by public officials. Wisconsin DOJ’s Office of Open Government makes available a snapshot of all public records requests pending each week, average monthly response times for the office, and responses to public records requests that may be of public interest on the Wisconsin DOJ website. Wisconsin DOJ responds to hundreds of inquiries every year concerning issues related to the open meetings law and the public records law, and instructs on open government at conferences, seminars, and training sessions. In these ways, the Office of Open Government provides resources and services to all state, regional, and local government entities and citizens. Wisconsin’s open government laws promote democracy by ensuring that all state, regional and local governments conduct their business with transparency. Wisconsin citizens have a right to know how their government is spending their tax dollars and exercising the powers granted by the people. This guide is a resource for everyone to understand and exercise their right to access their government. This compliance guide may be accessed, downloaded, or printed free of charge from the Wisconsin DOJ website, by visiting https://www.wisdoj.gov. Please share this guide with your constituencies and colleagues. Records custodians and all those who perform public duties are encouraged to contact the Office of Open Government if we can be of assistance. Office of Open Government Paul M. Ferguson, Assistant Attorney General Wisconsin Department of Justice P.O. Box 7857 Madison, WI 53707-7857 Public Records/Open Meetings (PROM) Help Line: (608) 267-2220 opengov@widoj.gov Disclaimer This guide provides an overview of the law and compiles information provided by Wisconsin DOJ in response to inquiries submitted over the course of several decades. This guide is provided pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.98 and does not constitute an informal or formal opinion of the Attorney General pursuant to Wis. Stat.