2012 Florida Public Records and Sunshine Law Seminar John A. Crawford, Nassau County Clerk of the Circuit Court, will host a Florida Public Records and Sunshine Law Seminar on Wednesday, March 28, 2012, at the Nassau County Judicial Annex in Yulee, Florida. Barbara A. Petersen, President of the First Amendment Foundation, will share her knowledge and experience regarding…
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By MICHAEL BARFIELD Published: Friday, March 16, 2012 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 7:14 p.m. James Madison, the founding father of our open-government laws, once emphasized the importance of citizens having the ability to be informed: “A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but…
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OUR OPINION: During Sunshine Week, the public’s right to know is once again in peril BY THE MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL HERALDED@MIAMIHERALD.COM As Florida celebrates Sunshine Week and the importance of open government and freedom of information there are some rays of sunshine pushing through the dark clouds of secrecy. One ray: The Florida Legislature ended…
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BY MIKE SCHNEIDER ASSOCIATED PRESS ORLANDO, Fla. — Advocates of Florida’s open government laws should focus on the rights of speakers to have their voices heard at public meetings and push to open up the state’s process of making laws to further scrutiny, one of the state’s top defenders of government transparency said Monday. Too often…
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Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger. Sunshine Week, March 11-17, 2012, is a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and…
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Sunshine Week was created by journalists. But it’s not just for the press. It’s also for the public. This week, journalists around the country are participating in the national initiative to promote discussion about the importance of open government and freedom of information. But freedom of information is a year-round pledge. American journalists promote open…
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Sunshine In Lakeland District Two substantial events took place in Tallahassee on Friday: completion of the Florida Legislature’s annual 60-day session — scheduled two months early this year to provide time for the Florida Supreme Court to rule on new voting districts drawn by the Legislature for the state House and Senate, and the U.S.…
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Far too many people believe that “government in the sunshine” — specifically, laws requiring that government meetings be open to the public and that government records be available for public inspection — is an arcane idea of interest mainly to activists and news reporters. That’s not true. Everyone benefits when we can see what our…
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The First Amendment Foundation is hosting a Sunshine Seminar in Orlando on Sept. 26 to provide an overview of Florida’s public records and public meeting requirements. The seminars are helpful for anyone who uses public records as well as for agency employees who are required to stay current on the law. Additionally, all attendees receive…
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Negron bill guaranteeing right to speak at public meetings dies in House
Government officials still won’t have a legal obligation to hear from the public at open meetings after Sen. Joe Negron‘s right-to-speak proposal died in the Legislature this year. For the second consecutive year, a push to require officials to allow public comment at most open meetings has come up short. Negron’s bill, SB 206, passed through…
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