Section 10-509 - Minutes; tape recordings.
§ 10-509. Minutes; tape recordings.
(a) Scope of section.- This section does not:
(1) require any change in the form or content of the Journal of the Senate of Maryland or Journal of the House of Delegates of Maryland; or
(2) limit the matters that a public body may include in its minutes.
(b) Required.- As soon as practicable after a public body meets, it shall have written minutes of its session prepared.
(c) Contents.-
(1) The minutes shall reflect:
(i) each item that the public body considered;
(ii) the action that the public body took on each item; and
(iii) each vote that was recorded.
(2) If a public body meets in closed session, the minutes for its next open session shall include:
(i) a statement of the time, place, and purpose of the closed session;
(ii) a record of the vote of each member as to closing the session;
(iii) a citation of the authority under this subtitle for closing the session; and
(iv) a listing of the topics of discussion, persons present, and each action taken during the session.
(3) (i) A session may be tape recorded by a public body.
(ii) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, the minutes and any tape recording of a closed session shall be sealed and may not be open to public inspection.
(4) The minutes and any tape recording shall be unsealed and open to inspection as follows:
(i) for a meeting closed under § 10-508(a)(5) of this subtitle, when the public body invests the funds;
(ii) for a meeting closed under § 10-508(a)(6) of this subtitle, when the public securities being discussed have been marketed; or
(iii) on request of a person or on the public body's own initiative, if a majority of the members of the public body present and voting vote in favor of unsealing the minutes and any tape recording.
(d) Access.- Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, minutes of a public body are public records and shall be open to public inspection during ordinary business hours.
(e) Retention of minutes or tape recordings.- A public body shall keep a copy of the minutes of each session and any tape recording made under subsection (c)(3)(i) of this section for at least 1 year after the date of the session.
[An. Code 1957, art. 76A, §§ 11, 13; 1984, ch. 284, § 1; 1991, ch. 655; 2004, ch. 440; 2009, ch. 60, § 5.]