A report released Wednesday by the Citizen Advocacy Center pointed out deficiencies in the abilities of Midwestern state and local governments to carry out open government policies.
The non-profit center's study of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio found that the states are doing little to train employees in open records provisions, and rarely enforce laws punishing violators. That leads to the unintentional breaking of open meetings and open records laws by public officials, something any member of the Wisconsin news media sees on a regular basis.
"Basically, it leads to a mistrust of government," said Terry Pastika, executive director of the Citizen Advocacy Center. "It lessens transparency and accountability and accessibility."
In the center's study were some ideas Wisconsin's elected officials should consider. The first comes from Ohio.
Ohio is the only state studied, the center says, that requires every elected official to receive three hours of training regarding the state's open records law. This is something Wisconsin should consider.
It is extremely common to find a local board or elected official that has unintentionally violated an open meetings provision or public records law. Many simply don't know the laws well enough to adhere to them.
To be fair, portions of Wisconsin's laws are confusing and complex. Newspaper editors and reporters, for example, also find it difficult at times navigating the murky waters. One of those uncertainties, pointed out in the Citizen Advocacy Center study, is caused by the state not having a firm deadline for public bodies to respond to records requests. This also is something Wisconsin lawmakers should consider.
It would be helpful for each elected official, as well as all handlers of public records, in Wisconsin to receive mandatory training in the state's open government laws. Perhaps this is something that could be administered by local district attorney offices. The Monroe Times, and likely many other newspapers in the state, would be more than willing to participate in such a program.
Another idea from the study comes from the finding that none of the states has a government office specifically created to oversee and enforce open government laws. Perhaps this is something that could come under the direction of the state's attorney general office. Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen touts his office's commitment to promoting open government practices. This would be an opportunity to back up that commitment.
The non-profit center's study of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio found that the states are doing little to train employees in open records provisions, and rarely enforce laws punishing violators. That leads to the unintentional breaking of open meetings and open records laws by public officials, something any member of the Wisconsin news media sees on a regular basis.
"Basically, it leads to a mistrust of government," said Terry Pastika, executive director of the Citizen Advocacy Center. "It lessens transparency and accountability and accessibility."
In the center's study were some ideas Wisconsin's elected officials should consider. The first comes from Ohio.
Ohio is the only state studied, the center says, that requires every elected official to receive three hours of training regarding the state's open records law. This is something Wisconsin should consider.
It is extremely common to find a local board or elected official that has unintentionally violated an open meetings provision or public records law. Many simply don't know the laws well enough to adhere to them.
To be fair, portions of Wisconsin's laws are confusing and complex. Newspaper editors and reporters, for example, also find it difficult at times navigating the murky waters. One of those uncertainties, pointed out in the Citizen Advocacy Center study, is caused by the state not having a firm deadline for public bodies to respond to records requests. This also is something Wisconsin lawmakers should consider.
It would be helpful for each elected official, as well as all handlers of public records, in Wisconsin to receive mandatory training in the state's open government laws. Perhaps this is something that could be administered by local district attorney offices. The Monroe Times, and likely many other newspapers in the state, would be more than willing to participate in such a program.
Another idea from the study comes from the finding that none of the states has a government office specifically created to oversee and enforce open government laws. Perhaps this is something that could come under the direction of the state's attorney general office. Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen touts his office's commitment to promoting open government practices. This would be an opportunity to back up that commitment.
