Advisory committee meeting notices

The public must be given at least fifteen (15) days' advance notice before an advisory committee meeting unless it is impractical or an emergency. This requirement comes from 1912.27.

• If 15 days is not possible because of emergency or impracticality, shorter advance notice may be given to the extent any advance notice is practical.
• It is a general policy, however, to publish notices as far in advance as circumstances permit.

The officer or employee who calls the meeting is responsible for giving the public notice. The rule states that public notice “shall be given by the officer or employee calling the meeting” as set out in 1912.27.

• That person should ensure the notice appears in the Federal Register and may use additional means such as press releases to reach the public.

Public notice must be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER, and notice may also be given by other means such as press releases. This is stated in 1912.27.

• Publishing in the Federal Register is required; press releases and other channels are optional supplements to broaden public awareness.

Yes — shorter advance notice is allowed when it is impractical to provide fifteen days' notice or in an emergency, but any shorter notice must still provide as much advance notice as is practical. This exception is described in 1912.27.

• Even in emergencies, the rule requires giving any amount of advance notice that is practical and encourages publishing notices as early as circumstances allow.
• You should document the reason why the full 15 days was impractical or why an emergency existed.

The regulation means agencies should aim to announce advisory committee meetings well before they occur whenever possible, beyond the 15-day floor, so the public has maximum opportunity to attend or comment. This expectation is part of 1912.27.

• The 15-day requirement is a minimum; good practice is to publish notice earlier when planning allows.
• Treat the 15 days as the baseline, not the target, and plan ahead to maximize public participation.

The rule requires public notice — specifically publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER — but it does not prohibit or replace notifying committee members directly; those internal notifications are separate operational matters. The public notice requirement is spelled out in 1912.27.

• Even though the regulation focuses on public notice, it is good practice to give committee members, panelists, and stakeholders direct advance notice in addition to the public notice.

No — a press release may be used in addition to other means, but the regulation requires that public notice be given by publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER. The provision allowing press releases is permissive and supplementary in 1912.27.

• Always publish the official notice in the Federal Register; use press releases and other channels to broaden reach and inform the public sooner.

If a meeting must be scheduled on short notice, the organizer should provide whatever advance notice is practical, publish the notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER if possible, and use supplemental channels like press releases to reach the public, documenting why the full 15 days could not be met as allowed by 1912.27.

• Document the emergency or impractical circumstance that required short notice.
• Use multiple communication channels (Federal Register when feasible, agency website, press releases, email lists) to maximize public awareness quickly.

No — 1912.27 requires publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER but does not list specific content elements for the notice within this section. The requirement and preferred publication practices are stated in 1912.27.

• While 1912.27 does not prescribe exact content, good practice is to include date, time, location (or access instructions), agenda, contact information, and how the public can submit comments or attend.

The officer or employee calling the meeting is the person responsible for making the practical determination about notice and should document the reasons for any shorter notice; the authority and exception are described in 1912.27.

• Best practice is to record the factual basis for the impracticality or emergency (dates, communications, constraints) and to publicize the meeting by the best practical means available.

Yes — the notice requirement applies to any meeting of an advisory committee regardless of format; organizers must provide public notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER and may use other channels for virtual meetings, as required by 1912.27.

• For virtual meetings include access instructions (link, dial-in, access code) in the notice so the public can attend.
• Ensure the same advance-notice principles (15 days unless impractical/emergency) are followed for virtual sessions.

Section 1912.27 applies to "any meeting of an advisory committee," so if a subcommittee or working group is officially acting as part of an advisory committee, the public notice requirements should be followed; see 1912.27.

• If a subcommittee is purely internal and does not meet in a way that constitutes an advisory committee meeting under Agency rules, different rules may apply; when in doubt, treat the meeting as subject to 1912.27 and give Federal Register notice.