Press Survey
The Providence Journal-Bulletin
January 1, 2000 - September 10, 2001

Open Meetings
Stories of broader (generally state-wide) significance

·        Quonset - Controversy over closed meeting for review of long-awaited "White Paper"

"Next Quonset port meeting to take place in private," Aug 19, 2001
"Public allowed into meeting on Quonset," Aug 21, 2001

 ·        AG Reports Open Meeting Complaints Declining

 "Open-meeting complaints are declining," Aug 2, 2001

 ·        Convention Center - Supreme Court sets rules for access to records

 "High court sets rules for access to records of Convention Center," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jan 22, 2001

 ·        Supreme Court offers broad interpretation of Open Meetings Law, orders public access to meetings of Emergency Hiring Council 

"Court rules for wide application of state's Open Meetings Law," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jun 15, 2001
"Meetings of state hiring council must be public, ACLU tells court," Apr 6, 2001

 ·        Superior Court ruling (and awarding of lawyer fees and costs) in case of former Lottery Commission Director who claimed firing violated 

"Lawyer argues board illegally fired Hawkins," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Dec 5, 2000
"Witness says session to fire Hawkins was not posted," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Dec 6, 2000
"Aubin recounts talk of replacing Hawkins," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Dec 7, 2000
"Journal reporter ordered to testify," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jan 12, 2001
"Hawkins: Firing arranged during illegal meetings," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jan 13, 2001
"Hawkins says he was warned of firing," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jan 17, 2001
"Judge: Almond needn't testify in Hawkins case," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jan 18, 2001
"Appeals court upholds dismissal of Hawkins's suit, " Jonathan D. Rockoff, Feb 6, 2001
"Judge rules state's firing of Hawkins violated law," Tom Mooney, Feb 13, 2001
"Former lottery chief wins lawyers' fees, costs," Jonathan D. Rockoff, Jun 14, 2001

 ·        Bill in General Assembly to clarify that quasi-public agencies subject to open-records and open-meetings laws 

 "AT THE ASSEMBLY - House committee supports limits on nurses' shifts," Katherine Gregg, Jun 13, 2001

 ·        "At the Assembly" notes on bill to make General Assembly abide by same open-government laws it has imposed on other state agencies

"AT THE ASSEMBLY - Audit bill whisks through the Senate," Katherine Gregg, May 31, 2001

 ·        State Retirement Board will vote again for pension director after AG advises closed-door vote violated

"Board will vote again for pension director," Katherine Gregg, Feb 6, 2001

 ·        Providence Tourism Council faulted for ignoring Open Meetings Law 

"Cianci aide to run convention agency - Appointment follows closed-doors discussions," Tracy Breton, Jan 7, 2000
"Convention authority undergoes makeover," Jennifer Levitz, Jan 21, 2000
"Coventry man is new director of Providence Tourism Council," Karen A. Davis, Jul 12, 2000
"Ethics panel: City official can't promote his restaurant," Gregory Smith, Oct 3, 2000

 ·        T.F. Green Airport growth - controversy over plan for private meeting; meeting ultimately cancelled out of concern for Open Meetings Law violation 

"Consulting company plans private meetings on growth at T.F. Green," Sept 14, 2000
"Unpublicized airport meeting breaks up early," Sept 15, 2000
"Thanks for not meeting," Sept 17, 2000

 ·        "Political Scene" survey includes comments on ways General Assembly meets requirements of Open Meetings Law while breaking with its intent

"POLITICAL SCENE - Licht hits the airwaves running for Senate nod, John E. Mulligan, Jun 26, 2000

 ·        Governor's Task Force on Health Care holds secret meetings - unclear if Open Meetings Law applies since unclear if it's a public body

"State panel shuts public out of key health-care talks," June 9, 2000
"Rite Care woes addressed in secret," Christopher Rowland, Jun 14, 2000

 ·        Langevin says legislature shows improvement in following Open Meetings Law

"Legislature shows improvement at following Open Meetings Law," Jun 8, 2000

 ·        AG rules Charlestown Town Council did not violate Open Meetings Law when closed session to discuss changes in Town Administrator's contract - decision likely to have lasting effect on way every town in state negotiates contracts with nonunion employees by reversing state's previous interpretation of the law

 "Council cleared of meetings law violation," Tiffany Bartish, Jan 21, 2000

 ·        Commission backing civilian review board for police claims some discussions at their meetings can be "at ease" or "off the record,"  ProJo disagrees 

"Commission backs civilian review board for policy," Amanda Milkovits, Apr 18, 2001