Freedom of Information Must Continue To Be Safeguarded
A Freedom of Information Commission Public Information Officer explains transparency laws to private citizens and public officials alike.
November 15, 2019 at 03:38 PM
3 minute read
Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act was created to let people see and understand the workings of their government. But putting the Act into practical use sometimes takes some help.
That's where the FOIC's Public Information Officer comes in. Much more than a mouthpiece, this person is involved daily in explaining to the public, and state and town officials, how to comply with FOI issues and requests. The guidance minimizes confusion and promotes the proper and timely disclosure of public information and records.
To give one example, municipal officials are often surprised to learn that an improper "meeting" of town officials—the kind that really needs to be formally announced and open to the public—could unwittingly take place at a diner, by email, or in a church parking lot.
It's news to many municipal officials, but it doesn't take a town hall venue to create a meeting. There are many other not-so-obvious features of open government. The FOIC public information officer, in a friendly manner, explains these details to private citizens and public officials every day of the work week.
The job of this "trail guide" to the FOI laws has been threatened repeatedly in recent years. An attack came earlier this year in a Republican budget proposal in the state Legislature.
If the proposal had passed into law, the role of public information officer would have either been completely eliminated or merged into a new position in the governor's office.
This would inevitably lead to less experienced personnel guiding the public and agency employees. And what's more insidious, the job would be directly under the authority of the governor's office, instead of the independent Freedom of Information Commission.
The FOIC, with its own legal staff and the ability to appeal meritorious cases, presents a valuable check and balance against excessive government secrecy and obfuscation of what our public servants are doing with the taxpayers' money and trust.
Government transparency and openness are best served if the public and agency staff can get authoritative, independent advice from the FOIC itself.
The governor falls under FOI, and is subject to FOI requests. Therefore, if the officer was working inside the governor's office, how independent could the information officer's advice appear to be regarding information requested from the governor's office? This is the basic rationale for having the FOI commission separate and apart from the governor's administration.
In addition, the information officer is a part-time dispute mediator. In any given year the officer negotiates scores of practical solutions. These balance the agencies' legitimate rights to information confidentiality with the public's right to know. This saves time and effort that would otherwise be spent in mediation or litigation.
The information officer's function is necessary for the effective functioning of Connecticut's leading "open government" agency. In the public's interest—and for government's internal health—this job simply should not be on the chopping block.
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