Judge denies immediate action in lawsuit accusing Anchorage Assembly of open meetings violations
Print article A state judge on Friday denied a request to pause the effect of all legislation passed by the Anchorage Assembly during an August closure to in-person participation related to COVID-19. The ruling came in a lawsuit against the Municipality of Anchorage that alleges the closure violated open meetings law. The plaintiff in the case, a group called Alaskans for Open Meetings, argued last week that Anchorage Superior Court Judge Una Gandbhir should rule that all legislation passed by the Assembly during the monthlong shutdown should be voided, as it was passed without in-person participation. Members of the public were instead allowed to testify via phone or email, and the meetings were streamed and broadcast on TV.