Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 42-46 - Open Meetings
Section 42-46-4. - Closed meetings.

§ 42-46-4. Closed meetings.
(a) By open call, a public body may hold a meeting closed to the public upon an affirmative vote of the majority of its members. A meeting closed to the public shall be limited to matters allowed to be exempted from discussion at open meetings by § 42-46-5. The vote of each member on the question of holding a meeting closed to the public and the reason for holding a closed meeting, by a citation to a subdivision of § 42-46-5(a), and a statement specifying the nature of the business to be discussed, shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the meeting. No public body shall discuss in closed session any public matter which does not fall within the citations to § 42-46-5(a) referred to by the public body in voting to close the meeting, even if these discussions could otherwise be closed to the public under this chapter.
(b) All votes taken in closed sessions shall be disclosed once the session is reopened; provided, however, a vote taken in a closed session need not be disclosed for the period of time during which its disclosure would jeopardize any strategy, negotiation or investigation undertaken pursuant to discussions conducted under § 42-46-5(a).
History of Section.G.L. 1956, § 42-46-4; P.L. 1976, ch. 330, § 2; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 29; P.L. 1988, ch. 659, § 1, P.L. 1990, ch. 201, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 379, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 37.

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