What are the remedies for a violation of the Open Meetings Act?
Actions and agency decisions made in violation of the Open Meetings Act are void. Expenditures of funds and resources resulting from a violation of the Act likewise may be improper and possibly illegal. Any person may file a petition in superior court to enforce the requirements of the Act. A lawsuit to undo an action wrongfully taken in a closed meeting must be filed within 90 days of when the meeting was held or, if challenging a zoning decision, within the time specifically allotted for zoning matters.
If a person knowingly and willfully conducts or participates in a closed meeting that should have been open, they can be found guilty of a misdemeanor and fined up to $500.
O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(b), § 50-14-4, § 50-14-5.
