Advertisement
And maybe nowhere is this more evident than in some of our laws — especially the kind that deal with your right to keep tabs on what the government is doing on your behalf.
As in so many areas, Minnesota has a lot to be proud of — great people, great recreation, great
businesses, great food and the best state fair in the country. Not many people also know that we have some of the most comprehensive state public meeting and public data laws on the books.
Most people don’t know that because in Minnesota, government from the local township up to the Capitol serves the public well and efficiently. Few Minnesotans have cause to lean on the data laws or the open meeting laws that hold public entities and officials accountable for what’s happening. Not all states can be so proud of the honesty, transparency and efficiency of their elected and appointed officials.
That’s most of the time, though.
For a few citizens and the media, push has come to shove on occasion. And in that process, we have learned our laws rely entirely too much on Minnesota nice.
Minnesota law currently allows publicly elected officials to close a meeting for specific purposes (such as discussing employee performance, negotiating a real estate deal or talking about pending litigation). All of the reasons seem justifiable, but there’s a hitch.
There’s nothing stopping the meeting from straying into other areas, which should be open to the public. Right now, citizens can only guess what was said behind closed doors and trust no decisions were reached. We can only guess and trust because the law requires no transcripts and no recording of those proceedings.
But we all know, public entities and government bodies don’t always act how they should. And a law without any penalties is like a speed limit without radar guns, flashing lights and speeding tickets.
But now, a new movement at the Legislature might correct this oversight.
It’s impressive that state Reps. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, Steve Smith, R-Richfield, Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson and Mary Holberg, R-Lakeville, and Sen. Don Betzold, DFL-Brooklyn Center, have come together in a bipartisan effort to tighten the law to ensure good and transparent government.
It’s sometimes hard to convince the government to write and pass a law that would make public agencies and officials more accountable, more responsible and more liable. In a sense, this new legislation asks officials to make it hard on themselves. But it’s important, because accountability and protecting the public’s interest is the right thing, the responsible thing.
That’s why it is important for you to urge your representative and senator to pass HF 3367/SF 3120. While the bill enjoys bipartisan support, it is important that it has the public support.
The best thing is the cost: As the state stares down the barrel of a huge deficit, this particular legislation costs nothing. For the vast majority of public officials, this law won’t mean a thing because they’re already following public data and open meetings laws. Recording these meetings is just a simple matter of leaving the tape run a little longer.
For those not complying with Minnesota’s progressive open government laws, it means the public can challenge closed meetings and a court has the opportunity to review the proceedings to ensure the doors were closed for the right reasons.
It’s a hard thing to argue that Minnesotans will lose anything by having more transparency, more accountability in state and local government.
Finally, and most importantly, this isn’t about newspapers or the media. It’s about citizens and their right to know — a right that’s protected by state and federal law and a right that sets democracy apart. And when we’re kept in the dark, so are every one of our readers. And good government rarely — if ever — happens in the shadows.
Ehrlick is the editor of the Winona Daily News. He can be reached at (507) 453-3507 or via e-mail at darrell.ehrlick@lee.net.
|
More News: |
