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 public file in the 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.

   [ 42 FR 12867 , Mar. 7, 1977, as amended at  71 FR 15618 , Mar. 29, 2006]