Government transparency and sunshine laws
Open meetings laws — also called sunshine laws — require government bodies to conduct their business in public. These laws apply to legislative bodies, agency boards, commissions, and advisory committees at both the federal and state level.
For companies and lawyers, open meetings laws matter when you need to monitor regulatory proceedings, attend public comment periods, track zoning or permitting decisions, or observe government contract award discussions.
At the federal level, the Government in the Sunshine Act applies to multi-member agencies like the FTC, FCC, and SEC. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) governs advisory panels — including many AI and technology advisory committees.
State open meetings laws vary significantly in scope and enforcement. Florida's Sunshine Law is among the broadest, applying to any meeting of two or more government officials discussing public business. Other states have more limited coverage.
Full editorial content for this section is in development. The federal laws and notable state laws listed below are current.