17th Annual Summit Scheduled for Friday, July 31
Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin is pleased to announce that his latest Open Government Summit is scheduled for Friday, July 31, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, RI. The Summit is free and open to the public; community members, public employees, elected officials, and all those interested in learning more about transparency and accountability in government are encouraged to attend.
"Rhode Island has made great strides in its efforts to make its government more open and accessible to the public and to hold public bodies accountable for failure to comply with our open government laws. In the past four years, my administration has filed more open government lawsuits that the previous two administrations combined. While I am committed to ensuring all public bodies comply, we are all better served if public bodies are properly trained and adhere to the letter of the laws," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.
The Summit will begin with opening remarks by Attorney General Kilmartin and Michael J. Yelnosky, Dean for Roger Williams University School of Law. Assistant Attorney General Michael W. Field, Chief of the Open Government Unit, and Special Assistant Attorney General Lisa Pinsonneault will give a presentation explaining the statutory requirements of the State's Access to Public Records Act and the Open Meetings Act. The presentation will include 2014/2015 case law, best practices, and examples of frequent trouble areas.
The Summit will also feature a Q&A session with the Open Government Unit, where participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance or on that day.
Details: Space is limited, and individuals who would like to attend the Open Government Summit should register with the Office of Attorney General. To register, please call (401) 274-4400, ext. 2101, or email agsummit@riag.ri.gov.
Fully embracing the idea of accessible government, Attorney General Kilmartin is again partnering with ClerkBase to stream the presentation live through the Attorney General's website, www.riag.ri.gov.
Individuals may submit questions in advance that will be answered during the Q&A portion of the Summit at agsummit@riag.ri.gov. Check-in takes place from 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
An agenda for the event is available on the Attorney General's website at www.riag.ri.gov.