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Smucker Starts Senate Service By Pushing Sunshine Law Reform The first piece of legislation to be introduced by state Senator Lloyd Smucker will seek to upgrade the penalties applied to public officials who intentionally violate the Sunshine Law. "The Sunshine Law is an important, fundamental open government measure, guaranteeing people access to state and local government and giving them the ability to see and to have a say in decisionmaking. For the most part, the law works very well for the public interest, but its effectiveness has been undermined by the lack of sanctions," Smucker said. "This bill is aimed at those who intentionally make decisions in a way that avoids the requirements for public scrutiny. If there are serious penalties available for major violations of the law, it will discourage participation in secret meetings and encourage enforcement actions when suspected violations occur," he pointed out. "As the system is set up now, when major decisions are made improperly, the most common remedy is that the violators eventually leave office. To deter secret meetings, a stronger, more immediate sanction is needed," Smucker emphasized. The maximum fine under current law is $100. The bill provides for a fine of up to $1000 for the first violation and up to $2000 for a subsequent offense. Strengthening the penalties in the Sunshine Law was one of a series of reform recommendations put forth by a Lancaster County grand jury a couple of years ago. Smucker stated that Senate leaders have indicated this will be a priority for consideration and action. This will be the second try to pass such legislation. The state Senate unanimously approved a bill sponsored by Gib Armstrong early in 2007, but that measure did not come up for a vote in the House of Representatives over the next 18 months.
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