December 30, 2008
Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150
McCollum Calls on Local Governments, Law Enforcement and School Districts to Make Enhanced Sunshine New Year’s Resolution
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today called on local governments, sheriffs and school districts to make government transparency their New Year’s Resolution and to commit to providing enhanced access to information before Sunshine Sunday in March. In a letter sent to Florida’s sheriffs, county commissions and school boards, the Attorney General reminded local leaders that with advances in technology, government in the sunshine can be as easy as uploading information to public websites.
“As Florida is a national leader in providing public access to government records, merely responding to requests is no longer sufficient in light of the technological advances which make it infinitely easier, cheaper and more efficient to do so,” wrote Attorney General McCollum. “Open government is not only good government; it is the right of the tax-paying public.”
The Attorney General encouraged government and school officials to immediately place on their websites the email address and phone number for their public records points of contact. Additionally, the Attorney General asked the government leaders to have their contracts and current budgets posted online in time for Sunshine Week, which starts on March 15.
To ensure that open government remains a top priority in the state, the Attorney General also asked the sheriffs, county commissions and school boards to ensure their staff members receive proper training on Florida’s Sunshine Law, and he announced that the Attorney General’s Office is currently working on an enhanced website and online training resources - easily accessible and free of charge - to assist local governments. The training materials should be available over the next few months.