The cause of open government in Connecticut has taken extraordinarily hard knocks of late, undermining this state's once-sterling reputation nationally for valuing openness and promoting the free flow of information. One of the hardest was a disappointing state Supreme Court ruling last year that severely limits the amount of information that local police departments and the state police are required to disclose about an arrest while prosecution is pending.
House Bill 6750 would do a public service in reversing that ruling. It would restore the proper balance between government transparency and privacy and fair-trial interests.
The legislature passed the Freedom of Information Act 40 years ago. Its preamble said, "The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for them to know." Continue>>>
======