A representative of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association will be among those in attendance when the new Massachusetts Open Meeting Law Advisory Commission holds its first meeting this Friday, Sept. 10, at 10 a.m., at the Attorney General’s office in Boston. The AG’s office posted the meeting notice and agenda today.

The five-member commission was created as part of the new open meeting law that took effect July 1. The MNPA is expressly authorized to designate one of the five members. MNPA President Oreste D’Arconte named executive director Robert Ambrogi to fill the seat.

Section 19(c) of the law says:

There shall be an open meeting law advisory commission. The commission shall consist of 5 members, 2 of whom shall be the chairmen of the joint committee on state administration and regulatory oversight, 1 of whom shall be the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association or his designee, 1 of whom shall be the president of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association or his designee, and 1 of whom shall be the attorney general or his designee.

The commission shall review issues relative to the open meeting law and shall submit to the attorney general recommendations for changes to the regulations, trainings, and educational initiatives relative to the open meeting law as it deems necessary and appropriate.

The law also provides that the AG is to report to the commission annually on the enforcement of the open meeting law.