Panel: Health Exchange Board Broke Meetings Law

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board has found that the board that oversees Maryland's health exchange repeatedly violated a law requiring full explanations for closed meetings.

The Washington Post reports that opinion released Tuesday states the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Board of Trustees didn't fully disclose and document reasons for confidentiality. The board has promised to change.

Kent County News journalist Craig O'Donnell filed complaints, saying the board held nearly 50 closed meetings and often didn't follow the law.

The compliance board examined meetings of interest, including a Sunday conference call where members voted to fire the company hired to build the exchange's website. The board says notice of the meeting was inadequate and the law isn't clear on whether the vote behind closed doors was legal.

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