NC Open Government

From the Burlington Times-News (4/4/09): Efforts to make government more transparent to the public are being put forth, and in some cases implemented, in both the executive and legislative branches of government.

From the Winston-Salem Journal (4/2/09): Legislators have long thought that they deserve special dispensation from government's obligation to conduct public business openly. They are wrong, and the attorney for the N.C. Open Government Coalition has correctly called them on it.

The N.C. Open Government Coalition has responded to recent inquiries as to whether elected state officials correspondence with their constituencies are public.

From the Raleigh News and Observer (3/27/09): Members of the state legislature can't exempt themselves from the state's public records law, according to a Raleigh lawyer who also heads a coalition of groups advocating open government.

Dale Harrison, an adjunct associate professor and assistant director of the Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition, spoke with News 14 Carolina on March 19 about public records and open meeting laws that affect the way government does business in North Carolina.

From the Burlington (N.C.) Times-News (3/25/09): Three lawmakers have introduced a bill into the state House that would put penalties for government employees who improperly withhold public records.

From the Daily Tar Heel (3/18/09): This week is Sunshine Week, part of a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the importance of open government and freedom of information.

From the Greensboro News and Record (3/24/09): Last year, news organizations battled then-Gov. Mike Easley for access to state agency e-mails. Electronic communications, like documents on paper, are public records. The people have a right to see them.

From the Charlotte Observer (3/21/09): For Sunshine Week, the Observer has asked public officials to discuss their views about open government. A different official will be featured each day.

From ENCToday.com (3/21/09): An area legislator is looking to add a little bite to North Carolina's public records law.