Chamber Closed Session Board Meetings

[Guest Tabitha W.]

Hello,

We are amending our bylaws and will hold our first general membership vote at tonight's meeting. A fellow Director on the board for the chamber wants to add to the bylaws the following "anything discussed in closed session with the board cannot be shared with anyone outside of the board" 

My understanding is we have to announce to our membership the topics discussed in close session and our resolution. Not the specifics but they need to know the topics and resolution. Is this true? How or what should I say to my fellow members.

[Josh Martin]

1 minute ago, Guest Tabitha W. said:

We are amending our bylaws and will hold our first general membership vote at tonight's meeting. A fellow Director on the board for the chamber wants to add to the bylaws the following "anything discussed in closed session with the board cannot be shared with anyone outside of the board" 

RONR already requires this, so I see no need to add it to the bylaws.

3 minutes ago, Guest Tabitha W. said:

My understanding is we have to announce to our membership the topics discussed in close session and our resolution. Not the specifics but they need to know the topics and resolution. Is this true? How or what should I say to my fellow members.

RONR has no such requirement. It may be that there is such a requirement in your organization’s rules. Additionally, some assemblies (especially public bodies and HOAs) are subject to “open meeting laws” or “sunshine laws,” which often contain requirements like this. Questions about such laws are beyond the scope of RONR and this forum and should be directed to an attorney.

[Richard Brown]

RONR has rules concerning executive sessions (presumably that is what you mean by "closed session") on pages 95-96, 229-230 and 644-645.  Those rules provide for the secrecy of executive sessions, so  the provision you are considering adding is not really necessary.  It is important to note that the terms "executive session" and "closed session" (or closed meeting) are not necessarily synonymous. An executive session, by definition, is a secret session in the sense that what transpires in the executive session is secret and, with very few exceptions, cannot  be disclosed to others.  A closed session or closed meeting, on the other hand, means only that the  meeting is limited to members.  What transpires in a closed meeting isn't necessarily secret, it just means that non-members are excluded (except for invited guests).

RONR has no requirement that what is discussed in an executive session be disclosed to the general membership.  Any such requirement would have to be in your own rules or, if your meetings are subject to state open meetings laws (or  sunshine laws), in the provisions of those laws.  Open meetings laws generally apply only to public bodies and sometimes to  homeowner associations, etc.