Government sunshine

Throughout the coming week newspapers across the country will be calling attention to open government during the nationwide observance of Sunshine Week.

Many Missourians are familiar with the state law that assumes government will be open unless there is a compelling reason not to be. This law is familiarly known as the Sunshine Law.

The rare exceptions to Missouri's open meetings and open records law are based on privacy rights and confidentiality in certain legal, employment or property transactions. But the intent of the law is clearly stated in Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri:

610.011. Liberal construction of law to be public policy.

1. It is the public policy of this state that meetings, records, votes, actions, and deliberations of public governmental bodies be open tot he public unless otherwise provided by law. Sections [pertaining to open meetings and open records] shall be liberally construed and their exceptions strictly construed to promote this public policy.

2. Except as otherwise provided by law, all public meetings of public governmental bodies should be open to the public ... , all public records of public governmental bodies shall be open to the public for inspection and copying ... , and all public votes of public governmental bodies shall be recorded ... .

It is interesting -- and disappointing, in many respects -- to watch some public governmental bodies exert considerable effort and expense to find legal ways to close public meetings and prevent the public from having access to public records. The occasional violations that are inadvertent and unintended are cause for concern, but the deliberate attempts to ignore or circumvent the Sunshine Law are cause for alarm.

Why?

Because secrecy in government provides opportunity for abuse, and citizens are denied full participation in their government when the shadows of darkness replace the bright light of sunshine.

For the most part, government entities in Missouri understand the positive impact of openness. We applaud elected and appointed officials of public governmental bodies who regard compliance with the Sunshine Law as a serious obligation.