SCR 96, as introduced, Yee. Sunshine Week.
This measure would designate March 16, 2014, through March 22, 2014, as Sunshine Week.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, California has a long tradition in support of open
2government and access to government records; and
3WHEREAS, In 1968, California enacted the California Public
4Records Act that expressly declared that “access to information
5concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental
6and necessary right of every person in this state”; and
7WHEREAS, In 1953, California enacted the Ralph M. Brown
8Open Meetings Act guaranteeing the public’s right to attend and
9participate in local governing bodies; and
10WHEREAS, In 1968, the Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act
11was adopted by the State to mandate open meetings of state
12agencies, boards, and commissions; and
13WHEREAS, California voters approved Proposition 59, a state
14constitutional amendment, also known as the “Sunshine
15Amendment,” in 2004 that furthers open government protections
16and the rights of voters; and
17WHEREAS, Open government reforms continue to spread across
18the country, including the adoption of open data policies to urge
P2 1innovation and economic development through the use of
2high-value government data; and
3WHEREAS, California entrepreneurs created the information
4technology revolution and are creating opportunities for
5government to use technology to improve performance,
6transparency, and trust; and
7WHEREAS, President Barack Obama issued an Open
8Government Directive to all federal departments and agencies that
9required the federal government to take steps towards a more open
10government including publishing government information online
11with the presumption of openness, to improve the quality of
12government information, and to institutionalize a culture of open
13government within departments and agencies; and
14WHEREAS, Many local governments have been leaders in open
15records and public meetings and the cities of San Francisco,
16Oakland, West Sacramento, and Los Angeles and the County of
17San Mateo have adopted open data policies; and
18WHEREAS, The Legislature has asked the voters of California
19to affirm the people’s mandate for open government through
20Proposition 42, that will appear on the June 3, 2014, statewide
21primary election ballot; and
22WHEREAS, With an inaugural grant from the Knight
23Foundation, American Society of News Editors launched Sunshine
24Week in March 2005, and it continues to be celebrated each year
25in mid-March to coincide with National Freedom of Information
26Day and President James Madison’s birthday on March 16; and
27WHEREAS, Although originally created by journalists, Sunshine
28Week is about the public’s right to know what its government is
29doing and why; and
30WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is now a national initiative to
31promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and
32freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic
33groups, libraries, nonprofit entities, schools, and others interested
34in the public’s right to know; and
35WHEREAS, Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower
36people to play an active role in all levels of government, and to
37give people access to information that makes their lives better and
38their communities stronger; and
39WHEREAS, The coverage, commentaries, and activities
40promoting open government during Sunshine Week have led to
P3 1tangible, meaningful changes to people’s lives, and the laws that
2govern them; and
3WHEREAS, The California Newspaper Publishers’ Association,
4California Forward, the League of Women Voters of California,
5Californians Aware, First Amendment Coalition, and other
6nongovernmental organizations continue to work alongside media
7and government allies to enhance public access to their
8government; and
9WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is increasing public awareness and
10people are playing more of a role in the actions that affect their
11communities. People are learning what kinds of information they
12have a right to see, how and where to obtain that information, and
13what to do if someone tries to prevent them from accessing it; now,
14therefore, be it
15Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
16thereof concurring, That Sunshine Week is a celebration of the
17public’s commitment to openness and an exploration of what open
18government means in a technology-enhanced future; and be it
19further
20Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates March 16,
212014, through March 22, 2014, as Sunshine Week and encourages
22all Californians to participate in appropriate activities relating to
23open government and access to public information; and be it further
24Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate provide copies of
25this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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