email this
print thisSAVE AND SHARE
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
SHINE A LIGHT
THE PRECEDING two accounts of government ineptitude are a fitting setup to a recent action in Harrisburg: the passage of the open records bill that Gov. Rendell signed into law last week.
This is a long-overdue victory for Pennsylvania citizens, who have suffered from one of the country's weakest Right to Know laws.
The new law means that documents and records are now presumed to be public unless officials argue successfully to keep them closed. And while the law is not perfect, it's a huge step forward by the state Legislature.
Demanding that our government remain open and accessible to all has perhaps never been so important as it is in the 21st century, especially given the disturbing trends in the past few years for secrecy, rights violations, and closed-door deal-making.
And like all our rights and freedoms, this one should be exercised often. Although March 16-22 marks National Sunshine Week - an effort by the American Association of Newspaper Editors (we newspapers are all about the sunshine) - don't wait until then. Request a record, or check out the PA. Freedom of Information Coalition site at http://www.openrecordspa.org/ *
