Assemblymember Harry Bronson (D-Rochester) announced today that the Assembly passed the sixth annual Sunshine Week legislative package which calls for more openness in state government. The purpose is to educate voters on the importance of government transparency and public participation.

“I’m supporting this package because the families of Monroe County deserve a state government that works for them,” Assemblymember Bronson said.

This year’s package includes bills that would:

• require that records and legislative proposals to be discussed at an open meeting be made available to the public prior to such a meeting (A.72-A);
• limit the time state agencies would have to appeal a judgment against them for violations of freedom of information laws (A.68);
• require the commissioner of general services to maintain an inventory and audit of every state-owned real property or unappropriated state land that has been sold (A.2305); and
• require entities that submit records to state agencies that are exempt from disclosure under FOIL to re-apply for the exceptions on a regular basis (A.5601-A).

Sunshine Week is a national, non-partisan initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. “We need to restore the publics trust in government. Taxpayers have a right to know where their money is being spent and how our decisions are going to affect their community,” Assemblymember Bronson said.