For a while, it must’ve seemed easy. SB 1648 and HB 1151, companion bills in the Senate and House, were written to improve Floridians’ access to public records and public meetings. They were zipping toward passage when the League of Cities and chambers of commerce started raising questions. Negotiations ensued. Changes were made. Now, it […]
Ethics bills languishing in Florida Legislature – Orlando Sentinel
By Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee Bureau Chief TALLAHASSEE — A year after passing sweeping reforms on political lobbying and conflicts-of-interests, proposals to impose even stronger ethical requirements on politicians are languishing in the Florida Legislature. An eclectic group of organizations, including the First Amendment Foundation, Common Cause and the Tea Party Network, held a press conference Wednesday […]
Coalition urges passage of ethics, open government bills – The Florida Current
By Bill Cotterell A coalition of open government activists spanning the political spectrum called on the Legislature Wednesday to slow its push for more exemptions to Florida’s “Sunshine” laws and put a high priority on improving public access to meetings and documents. “Open government matters because open government breeds good governance,” Joel Chandler of Deerfield Beach, executive […]