Mike Parson vs. Missouri Sunshine Law: Government records don’t belong to politicians - Kansas City Star
The politicians who want to keep Missouri’s government secret are at it again.
Like most states, Missouri has a Sunshine Law requiring governments to produce documents and records when asked to do so. It’s a fundamental requirement for public bodies, and it is invaluable for residents who want to keep public officials honest.
Sadly, the state’s adherence to the law has always been spotty at best. Missouri cities, counties, school boards, even the state government itself often resist requests to uncover information relevant to public decision-making.
Lengthy and unnecessary legal reviews delay some requests. Cost is an issue, too: Public bodies sometimes charge enormous fees for access to records, a clear deterrent to transparency.
Charging exorbitant fees for public documents and communications, or withholding them entirely, is fundamentally wrong. Public records belong to the people who paid for them. They aren’t the private property of the sheriff, or the police chief, or the council member or governor who created them.
That’s why it’s so disturbing that Missouri lawmakers, led by Gov. Mike Parson, want to make it harder for the people to see what has been done in their name.
As first reported by the Missouri Independent, Parson has made Sunshine Law reform a top priority in the 2022 session. His proposed changes would make it easier for governments to withhold documents and papers, while allowing them to charge more for the privilege of reading them.
It’s all in response to a Missouri Supreme Court decision last year. The court said charging for legal review of document requests wasn’t part of the Sunshine Law, and that the practice should stop.
Parson wants to reverse that decision by allowing governments to charge requesters for the cost of the review. Such a change would “benefit political subdivisions, the legislature, and state government,” the governor’s office claimed in a document provided to a reporter after a Sunshine request.
There is no mention of a benefit for the people. Because there is none.
Elad Gross, who has led the effort to protect access to government records through the Sunshine Law, this week launched a group and website called Save Missouri’s Sunshine Law.
“Missouri’s Sunshine Law promotes transparency so we can hold our elected officials accountable to us,” the website says. “We cannot let these politicians benefit themselves and lock us out of our government.” Agreed.
We regret Parson’s battle against the First Amendment and the public. From seeking prosecution of a reporter for exposing security flaws in a state computer network to refusing questions from journalists, the governor seems uninterested in protecting the public.
Sunshine remains the greatest disinfectant in government. We invite Gov. Parson to step into the sunshine and keep Missouri government out of the dark by dropping these ill-advised changes to the Sunshine Law.
source: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article257243427.html
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