We talk about open government in the midst of Sunshine Week. Florida’s Sunshine Law, a series of laws that guarantee public access to government meetings and records, have long been one of the strongest in the country. However over the years the Legislature have been passing a growing number of exemptions to the laws.Over 1100 exemptions exist today, an 250 percent from 1985. Another 43 are being considered in the current legislative session. Rosemary O’hara, the editorial page editor at the Florida Sun Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale, talks about the exemptions, long-delays, and exorbitant retrieval fees which often make records inaccessible to journalists and everyday citizens.
Click Here to read an Op-Ed from the Florida Sun Sentinel on Florida’s Sunshine Laws.
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