JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SUNSHINE WEEK, MARCH 15, 2015 TO MARCH 21, 2015
WHEREAS, President James Madison, generally regarded as the father of our federal Constitution, wrote that "a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives"; and
WHEREAS, every citizen in our participatory democracy has an inherent right of access to government meetings and public records; and
WHEREAS, an open and accessible government is vital to establishing and maintaining the people's trust and confidence in its government and in the government's ability to effectively serve its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the protection of every person's right of access to public records and government meetings is a high priority for the State of Maine; and
WHEREAS, Sunshine Week was established to spark a discussion about the importance of open government and public access to government documents and meetings; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Legislature now assembled in the First Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize Sunshine Week: Your Right to Know during the week of March 15-21, 2015 and confirm our commitment to openness and transparency in all aspects of our operations and to setting a standard in this regard; and be it further
RESOLVED: That we commemorate the anniversary of James Madison's birth during Sunshine Week and we commit to work diligently to enhance the public's access to government records and information, to increase information provided electronically and online and to ensure that all meetings of deliberative bodies in the State, and their committees, are fully noticed and open to the public.