McKenna, Sonntag Launch Open Government Task Force
Yesterday’s editions of the Olympian and the Spokesman-Review reported that the Attorney General and the State Auditor held the first meeting of their jointly created Open Government Task Force this last Monday. This Task Force is distinguished from the legislatively-created Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee (the "Sunshine Committee"), which is charged with reviewing all exemptions to the Public Disclosure Act on an annual basis and making recommendations to repeal or amend exemptions to the Public Records Act. According to an Attorney General press release, the Open Government Task Force was created “to study and make recommendations on the creation of an administrative board to rule on complaints of violations of the Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings Act.” The Attorney General’s website provides that the Task Force is charged with determining “an efficient and inexpensive solution…to resolve complaints and provide greater access to public records and public meetings while reducing costs to government agencies and the public.”
More information about the Task Force can be obtained on the Attorney General’s web page and on the Washington State Auditors Office web page.
I think this is a great step in Open Government. As a result of this task force and in an effort to foster open government as well as efficient government, I would hope for legislation (eventually) that would include mediation requirements, similar to those in some civil matters, for the benefit of both parties.