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For Immediate Release
June 30, 2011
Contact: David Atkinson
717-787-6535

Floor Remarks – SB 101 Concurrence

Serving the public interest does not always mean carving out groundbreaking reform. As is demonstrated by Senate Bill 101, strengthening a significant and durable good government law is a substantial victory for taxpayers.

Approval of a Sunshine penalties bill is the successful conclusion of 25 years of effort by Sunshine advocates. A law that is a foundational piece for open government finally has teeth put into it. The Sunshine Law guarantees of public access to open meetings and the opportunity for public comment become more meaningful.

The penalties provision is intended first and foremost to improve compliance. It does this in part by providing incentive for prosecution of intentional violations. An outrageous exercise in secret action in Lancaster County triggered this legislation, and now we deliver a remedy that should work to prevent similar offenses.

This will not change things in many jurisdictions, where good faith compliance is the general practice. But there are yet too many jurisdictions where Sunshine is treated as a casual suggestion, rather than an ironclad requirement. The problem is real. This solution is practical, reasonable, and responsible.

This is the third session in which the Senate passed such a bill. Gib Armstrong started the push, and I picked up the cause. This time, a bill has come back from the House in good shape. The difference this year is that Representative Mike Vereb stepped up as a champion, pressing for quick action and adding an amendment that affirms intentional violations of Sunshine are serious offenses.

Credit goes too to various newspapers, for carrying compelling editorials pushing this legislation and making sure the spotlight never shifted away.

In recent days, we have cast a series of tough votes, with substantial opposition no matter which way we decided matters. Here is one, at last, that is clearly right, clearly understandable, clearly in the public interest, and clearly a worthy accomplishment.