From Carolina Public Press (3/18/11): For news reporters, examining public records and inquiring about government activities is a regular part of their trade. But North Carolina's sunshine laws supporting open government practices are not just for journalists.
“The key is that these are laws for everybody,” said Brooke Barnett, executive director of the Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition at Elon University, in Elon, N.C., which is close to Burlington. “They are for all people looking for information about their government.”
Barnett said that unlike the North Carolina Press Association, which primarily assists journalists, the Sunshine Center’s mission is to educate the general public about its rights.
In addition to hosting workshops and sharing information about people’s rights through their website and other means, the Sunshine Center maintains a telephone hotline at (336) 278-5659 that citizens can call for free advice if they have questions or concerns.