Information for Elected and Appointed Officials on Conflict of Interest and Open Meeting Law

A Handbook for Appointed and Elected Officials

Upon each appointment / reappointment Board and Committee Members are required to acknowledge receipt of the Open Meeting and State Conflict of Interest Laws within two (2) weeks. All requirements will be reviewed with you when you are sworn in and you will be presented with the necessary compliance documents at that time.

State Ethics / Conflict of Interest Law

In January 2023 the State Ethics Commission announced the new conflict of interest law online training program. The new program, along with the summaries of the conflict of interest law, will be hosted on the Commission’s new learning management system. Municipal employees will need to create an account to access the Commission’s learning management system so that they can complete the new conflict of interest law online training program and acknowledge receipt of the summary of the conflict of interest law. These requirements can be completed on any computer or mobile device. Completion of these mandatory training and education requirements will be automatically recorded. 

Public employees must complete the online training program within 30 days of election or appointment to a state, county, or municipal position, and then every 2 years thereafter. Public employees must acknowledge in writing that they received the summary of the conflict of interest law within 30 days of election or appointment, and then annually thereafter.

Online Training Program & Certificate of Completion:

All municipal employees (full or part time, paid or unpaid, elected, appointed, volunteer or consultant) will need to do the following 3 steps:
 
  1. Create an account to access the Commission’s learning management system at

       2. Complete the new conflict of interest law online training program

       3. Complete the acknowledge receipt of the summary of the conflict of interest law for municipal employees.
    

For more information please visit the Ethics Commissions website: http://www.mass.gov/ethics

Conflict of Interest Law Summary

Annual Distribution

You must ANNUALLY also acknowledge receipt of the summary. The annual distribution will also be completed on the Commission’s learning management system.

Opening Meeting Law
MGL Chapter 30A, §20(h) requires that you acknowledge receipt of the following three (3) Open Meeting Law materials within two weeks of appointment or re-appointment.   

Open Meeting law effective January 2018

Open Meeting law MGL c. 30A, Section 18-25

Open Meeting  Regulations 950 CMR 32.00

Open Meeting Law Training Videos–Available by the Office of the Attorney General

Meeting and Minutes Guide for Boards, Commissions, and Committees