Public hospital board violated D.C. law with secret vote to close obstetrics unit

The board of D.C.'s only public hospital violated the city's Open Meetings Act in December when it excluded the public from its discussion and vote to permanently close the hospital's nursery and delivery rooms, a top District ethics official has determined.

Traci L. Hughes, director of the D.C. Office of Open Government, said in a ruling issued Friday that the board of United Medical Center in Southeast Washington committed violations of the law, which is designed to ensure transparency of government actions.