When it became clear Monday the Jacksonville City Council would not spend $320,000 to prevent fire department demotions, the firefighters’ union president sent out a flurry of text messages to council members in a last-ditch, real-time — and private — lobbying push for a second vote.
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The Florida First Amendment Foundation is tracking more than 80 bills in the Florida Legislature, some of which it says would hide important government records from public view.
The independent watchdog group released its list of bills Monday. It labelled some of the bills neutral in their effect on government openness but said it would oppose others. Those include a bill by Rep. Neil Combee, R-Polk City, to allow identities of applicants for top state university offices to remain anonymous.
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When it comes to having an open-and-transparent government that is accountable to the people, Florida truly leads the nation. Since the Florida Government-in-the-Sunshine Law was enacted in 1967, Florida has served as a model for other states.
In a world where technological advancements have introduced even more material into the public record, we continue to be on the cutting edge of reforms.
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Read More… from Florida League of Cities President says Keep Florida Government in the Sunshine
For decades, Florida’s best leaders have embraced open, accountable, ethical government as a fundamental right of the state’s residents.
But others aren’t so sure. Open-government rules are seen as stumbling blocks to efficient action, and inquisitive members of the public cast as annoying gadflies. Trust us, these officials say. We know what’s best. These warring points of view play out in nearly every session of the Legislature.
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Read More… from Editorial: Bolster public confidence in government
Mayor Alvin Brown says he's beefing up the city's website to put more information about city government at the fingertips of citizens.
Earlier this week, the City of Jacksonville was recognized by the First Amendment Foundation for having the most transparent city website in Florida. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Brown announced the launch of www.coj.net/transparency.
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Read More… from City of Jax website, most transparent in Florida
This week is Sunshine Week, which makes it an ideal time to reiterate the importance of open government and why my office is diligently working to improve government transparency and accountability. Since taking office, I have been committed to building upon Florida’s Sunshine Law and seeking new ways to promote openness.
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Read More… from Editorial: Accountability for state contracts, grants necessary
Why do Florida's government-in-the-sunshine laws matter so much? Because when nobody watches government closely, bad things happen.
Because democracy depends on an informed citizenry, and it's impossible to know what's happening without access to records and meetings.
Because how else would we know about the dangers of speeding cops in South Florida, or the prevalence of bear attacks in a Central Florida town, or the enormous number of sexual predators who attack again after their release?
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When Florida media groups are concerned about freedom of the press and open government, they turn to the First Amendment Foundation for help.
Pete Weitzel, former senior editor of the Miami Herald, founded the non-profit 30 years ago.
The foundation is funded through contributions. It provides training, legal aid, and the annual Government in the Sunshine Manual as a guide to Florida’s open meetings and public-records laws.
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The First Amendment Foundation’s James C. Adkins/Sunshine Litigation Award goes to The Florida Times-Union and Editor Frank Denton for recent success protecting and defending open government laws through litigation in three recent cases.
The award was created to recognize the importance and continuing value of the late Florida Supreme Court Judge James Calhoun Adkins Jr. The award has been presented only twice since 2009 and is normally given to a Florida attorney who made a significant contribution to the cause of furthering open government through litigation.
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Read More… from Florida Times-Union wins First Amendment Foundation award
