Describe Florida Sunshine Laws?
Describe the various public records available under Florida’s open government laws and how access to these records strengthens citizens’ civil rights and liberties.
In Florida, every person has been granted the Constitutional right to inspect or copy any public record with some exemptions, and the Sunshine Law provides a right of access to government proceedings at both the state and local levels. These essential laws afford citizens of our state the ability to see behind the curtain of government and remain involved in the processes that affect their lives. Without this access there is little accountability, and accountability is vital for good government. The Attorney General’s Office plays a key role in keeping Florida’s government open to all Floridians. The office is charged with mediating disputes involving access to public records and provides a mediation program to that effect – a resource which can be requested by any member of the public and was put into action more than 75 times in 2007. The mediation program involves an impartial individual who encourages and facilitates the resolution of a dispute involving access to public records. The mediators assist the participants in fostering joint problem-solving and exploring settlement alternatives. By allowing parties to resolve issues in an informal mediation process, we prevent expensive and time-consuming litigation which is often not an option for a citizen who is merely trying to hold his or her government accountable and responsible for its actions.~