True or False: Minutes from municipal council meetings are public records subject to immediate acccess without the need for a written Freedom of Information Act request.
Answer: True
Municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state are public bodies subject to the SC Freedom of Information Act. Meeting minutes of public bodies for the preceding six months must be made available for immediate inspection and copying. Meeting minutes that have not yet been approved by council must be released, but they should be marked as "draft" minutes.
An individual may make an in-person request for this material during normal business hours without being required to submit the request in writing. This requirement applies to meeting minutes of a municipal council, commission or board of public works, or any committee, subcommittee or advisory committee of the municipality.
The Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government offers in-person and online courses. "Conducting Public Meetings" is offered as part of Session A of the in-person courses, taking place Wednesday, February 5, 2020, the day after Hometown Legislative Action Day, in Columbia.