What is the name of your state? California.
I'm wondering if a state agency, like the Medical Board of California, can refuse to reveal the specific outcome of a vote held in closed session. For instance, when they go into closed session to deliberate on the discipline of a doctor, and they then vote, I know they have to reveal the outcome of the vote. BUT, are they allowed to refuse to reveal how each board member actually voted?
Are they allowed to withhold how members of the board voted? Possibly.
Under open meeting laws, the public has a right to attend meetings of public authorities. Every meeting where a public board or public authority gathers to conduct business must be open to the public.
But there are limited exceptions. Federal law, for example, allows for a closed-to-the-public meeting if the meeting is closed for one of ten identified categories. An example would be if the meeting is closed to discuss salary or personnel decisions.
The exemptions permit an agency or board to withhold information on national security grounds, for trade secrets reasons, on privacy grounds, if it involves an ongoing law enforcement investigation, if the information is federally regulated bank information, or oil and gas data, if the information is an internal agency memorandum, if specifically exempt from disclosure by another law - or, and here is where an exemption might apply on voting, on internal agency personnel rules.
Even when a meeting or a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a transcript of the meeting must be prepared. This transcript (or "minutes of the meeting") must be disclosed upon request to the extent that exempt information can be redacted.
