Your Commission (Open Government)

Promote Open and Transparent Government 

The State of Rhode Island and RICDHH value transparency in state and local government. When government decisions are debated in public and made open to inspection, a more engaged citizenry is invested in its community. Our Commission is Your Commission, open and available to you. As a state government agency that serves Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens in the State of Rhode Island, we strive for accountability, integrity, and transparency. 

The Open Meetings Act (OMA) and the Access to Public Records Act (APRA) establish important requirements for ensuring that the government in Rhode Island is carried out in an open and transparent manner. Our open government team: 

• Make an APRA request for the records maintained by CDHH  
• Investigates complaints against public bodies in Rhode Island for alleged violations of these statutes 
• Issues findings and files civil or criminal complaints to enforce the statutes when appropriate