Sec. 0.606  Procedures for closing a meeting to the public.

    (a) For every meeting closed under Sec. 0.603, the General Counsel 
will certify that there is a legal basis for closing the meeting to the 
public and will state each relevant provision of Sec. 0.603. The staff 
of the agency will refer the matter to the General Counsel for 
certification before it is referred to the agency for a vote on closing 
the meeting. Certifications will be retained in a

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public file in the Minute and Rules Branch, Office of the Secretary.
    (b) The agency will vote on the question of closing a meeting.
    (1) If a member of the agency requests that a vote be taken;
    (2) If the staff recommends that a meeting be closed and one member 
of the agency requests that a vote be taken; or
    (3) If a person whose interests may be directly affected by a 
meeting requests the agency to close the meeting for any of the reasons 
listed in Sec. 0.603 (e), (f) or (g), or if any person requests that a 
closed meeting be opened, and a member of the agency requests that a 
vote be taken. (Such requests may be filed with the Secretary at any 
time prior to the meeting and should briefly state the reason(s) for 
opening or closing the meeting. To assure that they reach the Commission 
for consideration prior to the meeting, they should be submitted at the 
earliest practicable time and should be called specifically to the 
attention of the Secretary--in person or by telephone. It will be 
helpful if copies of the request are furnished to the members of the 
agency and the General Counsel. The filing of a request shall not stay 
the holding of a meeting.)
    (c) A meeting will be closed to the public pursuant to Sec. 0.603 
only by vote of a majority of the entire membership of the agency. The 
vote of each participating Commissioner will be recorded. No 
Commissioner may vote by proxy.
    (d) A separate vote will be taken before any meeting is closed to 
the public and before any information is withheld from the meeting 
notice. However, a single vote may be taken with respect to a series of 
meetings proposed to be closed to the public, and with respect to 
information concerning such series of meetings (a vote on each question, 
if both are presented), if each meeting involves the same particular 
matters and is scheduled to be held no later than 30 days after the 
first meeting in the series.
    (e) Less than seven days notice may be given only by majority vote 
of the entire membership of the agency.
    (f) The subject matter or the determination to open or close a 
meeting will be changed only if a majority of the entire membership of 
the agency determines by recorded vote that agency business so requires 
and that no earlier announcement of the change was possible.