Ohio
Sunshine Law
Formally: Ohio Open Meetings Act (Sunshine Law)
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 121.22
Sunshine Score
| Advance Notice | 1 day |
|---|---|
| Public Comment | Not required, written accepted |
| Closed Sessions | 6 permitted categories |
| Minutes | Required |
| Recording | Not required |
| Remote Participation | Not allowed |
| Enforcement | Voidable, legislature exempt |
Agenda & Notice Requirements
Online posting: Not required
Establish reasonable method for public to determine time and place of regular meetings; at least 24 hours advance notice for special meetings to news media that have requested notification
Agenda changes at meeting: Allowed — majority vote
Public Participation
Ohio Sunshine Law (ORC § 121.22) does not require a public comment period. Bodies permit comment at their discretion. Many local bodies adopt rules requiring a public comment period, but no floor is set by state law.
Virtual Meetings
Ohio Rev. Code § 121.22 requires physical presence for quorum and voting for general public bodies. Narrow exceptions allow videoconference or teleconference for joint economic development zone boards (§ 715.693) and port authority boards (§ 4582.60). No general post-COVID remote participation statute enacted.
Closed Sessions
Closed (executive) sessions: Allowed under specific circumstances
Permitted Categories
Meeting Minutes
Online posting: Not required
Content requirements: date, time, place, members present, all votes and actions taken (ORC § 121.22(C))
Recording & Broadcast
Enforcement
Scope
This law applies to:
Legislature: Exempt (follows own rules)
Accessibility & Language Access
ADA accessibility: ADA Title II applies to all public meetings. The state statute does not add requirements beyond federal law; reasonable accommodations must be provided on request.
Language access: No statutory language-access mandate beyond federal Civil Rights Act Title VI obligations for recipients of federal funds.