The Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition released a mobile application that provides citizens of the state information about public records and open meetings wherever they are. The app was made available at the start of the state’s Sunshine Day workshop March 11 at N.C. State University.
The app, called “Sunshine,” will help bridge the gap between seekers and holders of public government records, and it’s available for download in both the iTunes App Store and Android Market. Just type “NC Sunshine” in the search field to find the app easily.
“Easy access to information about open government is key to a functioning democracy, and this is one more way for people in the state to have access to that information—on a device that they likely carry with them all the time,” says Sunshine Center executive director Brooke Barnett.
The app, compatible with all smartphones and tablets, offers labeled tabs for “seekers of information,” “holders of information” and “principles of law.” Barnett encourages people with an interest in open government to download the app and put the state’s sunshine laws in the palms of their hands.
“Community members and the media can use it to seek access to public information and meetings,” Barnett says. “Those who are keepers of records and holders of meetings can use the app to better understand how to comply with open government laws in North Carolina.”
For more information, contact Sunshine Center Executive Director Brooke Barnett at bbarnett@elon.edu or 336-278-5659.
The Sunshine Center is the education arm of the N.C. Open Government Coalition whose mission is to foster awareness and knowledge of the state’s open government laws. The Sunshine Center is housed at Elon University in the School of Communications.