From The Columbus Dispatch:
Today marks the beginning of Sunshine Week, a national initiative to promote government transparency and citizen access to public records and meetings.
Unfortunately, the forecast for openness in Ohio is growing cloudier.
[…]
A litany of bills aimed at amending the state’s Public Records Act — in both good and bad ways — again surfaced in Olympia this legislative session. While it’s encouraging to see some legislators fight for the public’s right to know and transparent government, a handful of others remind us that protecting access to government is an ongoing battle.
[…]
Read More… from Make ‘Sunshine Week’ memorable for open government
From The Daytona Beach News-Journal:
[…]
The Associated Press and newspapers throughout the state, including The Daytona Beach News-Journal, visited every county’s clerk of court office in recent weeks to see whether each is complying with the law and how much of a delay it is causing in the release of information.
[…]
Read More… from Sunshine Week audit shows public record delays common
From The MetroWest Daily News:
Transparency laws are meant to make government officials’ actions and decisions open to the public to hold leaders accountable and ensure that citizens can play an active role in the democratic process.
[…]
Washington matters, of course it does. Austin makes a difference, obviously. Our voices rise when they carry comments about the president or Congress or the governor or the Legislature.
Just listen. Our friends complain loudly. Our anger erupts. Our demands are great. And, we are not shy about publicly sharing our distrust, disappointment or distrust. We are the people. We have a voice. We demand to be heard, as we should.
[…]
Editorial from StarNewsOnline.com:
In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be a need for “Sunshine Week,” which celebrates the right of the people to watch their government in action. That includes free access to meetings and documents that discuss the public’s business. An accessible government is a keystone of our democracy.
[…]
Read More… from Sunshine Week reminds us why people should have access to information
From Corvallis Gazette Times:
Sunday marks the start of Sunshine Week, the national initiative that’s meant to call attention to the importance of open government and freedom of information.
[…]
Those who rhapsodize about defending the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution (even if all they’ve read is the last half of the Second Amendment) have a good point. Our rights don’t just sit there, inviolate, waiting to be enjoyed at random. They need to be defended around the clock from enemies foreign and domestic.
[…]
From Detroit Free Press:
LANSING — Michigan’s top elections official wants to require political campaigns to report financial contributions within 48 hours after they receive them, one of several proposals aimed at giving voters nearly real-time information about the money behind the candidates.
[…]
Read More… from Ruth Johnson offers Sunshine Week push for more election transparency in Michigan
The Texas Open Meetings Act is designed to let members of the public see what their elected officials are up to. But sometimes, you watch them in action and still wonder what they’re up to.
[…]
Started in Florida in 2002, Sunshine Week spotlights the public’s right to know.
[…]
Read More… from Sunshine Week reminds public officials of their obligation to openness
