Next Week is Sunshine Week
Did you know that March 13-19 is Sunshine Week? Celebrating its 11th year, Sunshine Week is a nationwide initiative to highlight the importance of freedom of information and government transparency. Sunshine Week was started by the American Society of News Editors in 2005, later joined by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and includes participation by news media, government officials, academic institutions, libraries, and all people interested in open government. One of the main goals of Sunshine Week is to empower the public to get involved in all levels of government and to gain access to government information that can strengthen communities and individuals.
Why should a law student care about Sunshine Week? First, government information includes legal information. Think about administrative law and all of the regulations that impact people’s daily lives. Imagine if agencies could conduct their entire rule-making process in secret, instead of with the notice, comment, and review procedures in place today. Second, think about available internships and your future career plans. It is very likely that you may need to file FOIA requests and gain access to information about government agencies and officials. Finally, you are a member of the public, yes? You have a right to know what your government is doing and why, and a duty to be an informed citizen.
Want to learn more about Ohio’s Sunshine Laws, FOIA, and open government? Keep visiting our blog throughout the week!
Get ready for Sunshine Week by testing your First Amendment knowledge with this quiz.
Read different perspectives on Open Government with these Sunshine Week opinion pieces.
Highlighted events:
- Monday! Speakers from the National Archive and the Office of Government Information Services will discuss the use of technology to further open government (live streaming available via YouTube), click here for more information.
- Wednesday, March 16th and Thursday, March 17th the US Census Bureau is holding public workshops discussing the Bureau’s Open Government Plan, FOIA, Records Management, and more. The workshops are free, but registration is required to receive call-in information for participating off-site, click here for more details.
