Sunshine Week shines a light on government

Annual Freedom of Information event to be celebrated March 12-18

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Albarado said thanks to computers and the internet, the public has more and easier access to government information than ever before.

“Nevertheless, governments at all levels continue to try to prevent the public from knowing what they do. For example, some officials insist the public has no right to know the details of violent incidents in juvenile lockups or to learn how and why some people died,” he said. “Many government agencies censor what the public can know by limiting or forbidding government employees from speaking to the press.

“Sunshine Week is an important reminder that citizens cannot remain free if they cannot shine a light on the dark corners of government activity.”

John Tull, a FOIA expert and APA’s attorneys, also stated that Sunshine Week reminds citizens, reporters, local and county officials,and lawmakers of how important open government and transparency is to democracy. Tull also recently spoke out against the Conway School Board’s actions, including its email retention and public meeting policies.

“Citizens of the United States are blessed to live in a democracy where citizens have the right to know how their tax dollars are being spent and what actions are being taken by their government. Access to information is one of the keys to democracy as evidenced by autocrats seizing control over the free press once they rise to power,” said Tull, a managing member with Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC. “Without transparency a government can control its citizens through misinformation and denials.”

Robert Steinbuch, a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law, said the state’s FOIA is the best check for the public on government misbehavior in Arkansas.

“It allows any citizen—and their representatives in the press—to request copies of public records, which includes access to databases, as well as to attend meetings of governing bodies,” said Steinbuch, coauthor of the definitive treatise on the Arkansas FOIA.

Both Tull and Steinbuch sit on the state’s nine-member FOIA Task Force, which is responsible for making recommendations to the Arkansas General Assembly about potential legislation that would amend or impact the act first established in 1967. The APA, which also appoints a member to the open government panel created by the Arkansas legislature in 2017, also monitors FOIA bills that are filed during each legislative session.

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act Coalition also works to stay abreast of any legislation that may impact the state FOIA law. The coalition includes journalists, educators, government officials and other advocates committed to protecting the state’s open records and open meetings laws.

Once lauded as having the nation’s most comprehensive open-records and openmeetings act, Steinbuch said there are ongoing efforts to undermine FOIA by bad actors in local and state government.

“While some laudable government officials readily comply with the FOIA with little fanfare or thanks, I work daily to address those who don’t. In many cases, the burdens put on citizens are unwarranted and result in a dramatic lack of transparency,” said UA law professor. “Sadly, the Municipal League and the Arkansas Association of Counties have repeatedly sought to lobby legislators to weaken our FOIA, the crown jewel of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller’s incumbency over 50 years ago. Such behavior is an affront to his memory and the rights of Arkansans.”

Note: Author Wesley Brown is an SPJ board member and serves on the FOIA Task Force for the Arkansas Press Association.

Sunshine Week 2023: How to get involved

Share your experiences, success stories, FOIA battles, new laws and other efforts on behalf of open government. Tweet @SunshineWeek or use #SunshineWeek on social media when sharing.

Highlight the importance of openness through stories, editorials, columns, cartoons or graphics.

Organize local forums, sponsor essay contests or press elected officials to pass proclamations on the importance of open access.

If you would like to submit stories, editorials, columns, cartoons or graphics for public use during Sunshine Week, email your content links to sunshineweek@newsleaders.org. Please include a brief description and/or headlines.

NIE Coordinators can use Sunshine Week to teach students how government transparency improves our lives and strengthens our communities.