Published by the Florida Center for Government Accountability
On the heels of high-profile wins, a government transparency effort seeks to expand its reach
On the heels of high-profile wins, a government transparency effort seeks to expand its reach
by Anne Geggis
Ghost candidates, migrant flights’ secrecy, and concealed COVID-19 data are just a few of the battles that a government transparency effort has undertaken in its first two years of existence.
The Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA) can claim its work inspired legislation, handed a legal defeat to the attempts of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to keep information under wraps and even garnered a mention on the legendary TV news show, “60 Minutes.”
But there’s so much more to do, says Barbara Petersen, the FLCGA’s executive director. The organization’s core mission is to give the Sunshine Law, the state’s open records law, more muscle through suing for public records, commissioning news stories, and acting as a resource for citizens who need help drafting public information requests.