821. In the spirit of openness and accountability, all meetings of councils, boards, agencies, commissions, and committees of the Church, including subunit meetings and teleconferences, shall be open to news media, both church and public. Portions of a particular meeting may be closed for consideration of certain specific subjects, if such a session is authorized by at least a three-fourths majority vote of duly selected members present when the vote is taken in public session and entered in the minutes. Documents distributed in open meetings shall be considered public.
Subjects which may be considered in closed session are limited to considerations of sale or purchase of real property, personnel matters, issues related to the accreditation or approval of institutions, discussions relating to civil litigation or collective bargaining, deployment of security personnel or devices, negotiations involving confidential third-party information, and deliberations of the Judicial Council.
A report on the results of a closed session is to be made immediately upon its conclusion, or as soon thereafter as is practicable.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 821
1996 United Methodist General Conference