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From: Sunshine Week
Sunshine Week 2009: March 15-21
Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know.
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Sunshine Week is led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and is funded primarily by a challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami.
Though spearheaded by journalists, Sunshine Week is about the public's right to know what its government is doing, and why. 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 is a non-partisan initiative whose supporters are conservative, liberal and everything in between.
Govt. Info is Focus for SW09 Survey
Published: January 27, 2009
Last Updated: January 27, 2009
Contact:
Debra Gersh Hernandez
Coordinator, Sunshine Week
dghernandez@asne.org
703-807-2100
Nationwide Snapshot of Government Records Online
Is Focus for Sunshine Week Transparency Project
Washington — Sunshine Week's government transparency project for 2009 is enlisting journalists, educators and students, openness advocates and others to develop a snapshot of public records that states make available on their Web sites. The information collected will be distilled into a nationwide report released for Sunshine Week, which runs March 15-21. |
In parallel efforts, participants also are examining local government Web sites and reporting on the records available there, and national journalism and open government groups are surveying particular federal records online. These additional reports will be posted alongside the main report on the Sunshine Week Web site.
The surveys are being coordinated by Sunshine Week, the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Freedom of Information Committee, the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the Society of Professional Journalists' FOI Committee. Sunshine Week is a non-partisan open government initiative led by ASNE, with print, online and broadcast media; public officials; civic groups and non-profit organizations; public and special libraries; educators and students; religious leaders; and others. It is primarily funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
"Online access to public records is the next battleground for Freedom of Information advocates," said Andy Alexander, co-chair of ASNE's FOI Committee. "The results of this groundbreaking survey, which will be showcased during Sunshine Week, will provide the first comprehensive assessment of the extent to which citizens can access public records through their state government's Web site.
[...]Not listed? Send a link or details to dghernandez@asne.org.
ARIZONA
Wednesday, March 18:
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University hosts the state attorney general, along with other local legal and media professionals discussing access to public records, 7-8:30 p.m. at The First Amendment Forum. More info.
FLORIDA
Monday, March 9:
Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will begin notifying student winners of Florida's 2009 Sunshine Week essay contest. Students in grades 9-12 are invited to submit 500-word essays describing "the various public records available under Florida’s open government laws and how access to these records strengthens citizens’ civil rights and liberties." In addition to scholarship prizes of $3,500, $2,000 and $1,500, all winners will be invited to a reception at the governor's mansion. More info.
MICHIGAN
Thursday, March 12:
The Michigan Press Association Sunshine Week 2009 Kickoff Event, 9-10:30 a.m., Michigan State Capitol Building, Lansing. Panel discussion features Detroit Free Press editor and reporters discussing their coverage of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. More info.
MINNESOTA
Monday, March 16:
Minnesota News Council Freedom of Information Day and Award Ceremony, 1-2 p.m., Pohlad Auditorium, Minneapolis Central Library. Keynote speaker is Rick Kupchella, reporter and anchor, KARE-11. John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Award will be presented to citizen lobbyist Rich Neumeister. Sponsored by the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information with support from advocates for open government. The event is free and open to the public. More info.
MISSOURI
Thursday, March 12:
The Missouri Sunshine Coalition holds a reception and program to introduce the new group to interested individuals and organizations. The reception opens the event at 2 p.m. at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. Program speakers will include the state's attorney general and FOI experts. The event is free and open to the public. More info.
NEW YORK
Thursday, March 12:
Main Street newspaper hosts a talk by Robert Freeman, executive director of the state's Committee on Open Government at 7 p.m. at the Greenwich Free Library. Freeman will be joined by local residents discussing their experiences with open government laws. The event is free and open to the public. More info.
NORTH CAROLINA
Wednesday, March 18:
The Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition will observe "Sunshine Day" with a workshop at the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte. Panels will look at systems to access government e-mail messages, using new state legislation on salary disclosures and other open government issues. The event is open to the public. Registration, which includes lunch, is $30, or $15 for students. More info.
OHIO
Wednesday, March 18:
ACLU Ohio, Ohio Citizen Action, Ohio Coalition for Open Government and Ohio Newspaper Association host "Sunshine Week 2009: Your Right to Know, 3 p.m., Columbus Metro Library Auditorium. Panelists will discuss Ohio's Sunshine Laws and how they are used to monitor government actions. The event is free and open to the public. More info.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Friday, March 13:
First Amendment Center 11th Annual FOI Day Conference, " Freedom and Information: Looking Back and Looking Forward,", 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Knight Conference Center at the Newseum. Panelists will review transparency in the Bush administration and look ahead to what's expected from the Obama White House. The FOI Day conference is presented in conjunction with Sunshine Week, the American Library Association and OpenTheGovernment.org. There is no charge to attend, but space is limited and reservations are required. More info.
Monday, March 16:
American University Washington College of Law, Collaboration on Government Secrecy Second Annual FOI Day Celebration, 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m., American University Washington College of Law. Keynote speaker and recipient of the Robert Vaughn FOIA Legend Award is Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). Panel topics include: an analysis of national security classification, bailout transparency, e-government and digital records management, pseudo-secrecy and an assessment of the Obama administration. CLE accreditation is available. The event is free, but registration is required. More info.
Wednesday, March 18:
The National Press Club offers a Sunshine Week tutorial on using the federal Freedom of Information Act and state FOIA laws, 10-11:30 a.m. in the library classroom. Space is limited to 24 people. More info.
Friday, March 20:
OpenTheGovernment.org, "Opening Doors: Finding the Keys to Open Government," 1:00pm- 2:30pm, Center for American Progress and via webcast to host sites around the country. Panelists will discuss implementation of President Obama's transparency memoranda, as well as innovative ways to make government information useful online. Remote sites are encouraged to hold panel discussions in conjunction with the webcast. Co-sponsors of the event include American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, American Library Association, Center for American Progress, League of Women Voters, National Freedom of Information Coalition, OpenTheGovernment.org, Public Citizen, Special Libraries Association, Sunshine Week, and the Sunlight Foundation. More info.
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