By Melissa Martin, Gallipolis Daily Tribune
Do you want to be in the know about happenings in your state, county, and city? Do you want to know where and how your taxed dollars are spent? Do you want access to certain public records?
“Citizen access to public records is the law of the land in all U.S. states and territories, and in the District of Columbia,” according to The National Freedom of Information Coalition, a nonpartisan alliance. The National Freedom of Information Coalition protects our right to open government. The mission is to make sure state and local governments and public institutions have laws, policies and procedures to facilitate the public’s access to their records and proceedings. www.nfoic.org/.
Open Government in Ohio
Ohio Sunshine Laws ensure all citizens are granted the right to have broad access to government records and meetings. The Open Government Unit educates the public and government about the intricacies of Ohio’s Sunshine Laws. Each year, in partnership with the Ohio Attorney General, the Auditor of State publishes Ohio Sunshine Laws, An Open Government Resource Manual (2018 publication has 256 pages).