Every year in mid-March, the nation’s news organizations spearhead an initiative called “Sunshine Week,” to focus citizens’ attention on the critical importance of transparency to the healthy functioning of our unique democracy. The initiative, which begins today, originated with the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee and the Florida Society of News Editors. Anyone who doubts the public […]
State usually, but not always, good on access to records – The Florida Times Union
Public record requests sent to a half-dozen state agencies produced relevant documents in a reasonable time frame and generally free of charge, an audit performed as part of the Florida Society of News Editors annual Sunshine Week found. However, anecdotes from newspapers statewide demonstrate that obtaining documents and data from state agencies is not always […]
A look at five ‘sunshine citizens’ and their pursuit of public records – The Miami Herald
Profiles of five “sunshine citizens” who tell us about their motivation and actions in taking on local and state agencies to gain access to public records and meetings. Milton man’s digging showed county agency’s mismanagement Read a governmental agency’s financial budget to understand its operation, “how folks are spending your money,” says Jerry Couey, 54. […]
