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Let the sun shine
By ANNA JOLLY
Assistant News Editor
Next week is a special time for newspapers and First Amendment lovers across the country; it’s what journalists call “Sunshine Week.”
The idea was born in 2002 when some Florida officials tried to create a bunch of exemptions to the state’s open-government laws.
The first organized “Sunshine Week,” though, was not realized until two years ago.
Some larger newspapers and TV stations produced series reminding the public really how much access to information can be obtained with some filing of paperwork and persistence.
The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) is used often by journalists to get paperwork that is public information but not readily handed over.
Using the law, which required a written request, can be frustrating for members of the public, who may not be taken as seriously by a government agency.
Requests are said to be rarely denied, but they can take quite a while.
There are a number of exemptions agencies can use to deny FOIL requests, but citizens have the right to file a civil suit against the government if they feel their rights are being denied.
The public — and oftentimes journalists — don’t realize how much information they are entitled to.
For a refresher or to learn more about Sunshine week visit www.sunshineweek.org or www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/freedomfaq.htm
