But this year, the annual celebration kicks off amid concerns about Florida state agencies delaying records requests and federal threats against broadcasters.
Barbara Petersen, CEO of the Florida Center for Government Accountability and publisher of the Florida Trident, said the state's reputation as a transparency leader is fading fast.
"I've been doing really nothing but open government laws since 1991," said Petersen. "And I would say the lights are dimming very, very quickly under the DeSantis administrations – or are dimmed. I shouldn't even say they are dimming. They're dimmed."
Petersen said the problem is trickling down from the state to local level. She cited a recent complaint about a school board that simply stopped responding to public records requests.
Without access to information, she argued, citizens cannot hold their government accountable for how tax dollars are spent – pointing to records related to contracts at the Alligator Alcatraz immigrant detention center as a prime example of information being withheld.
Petersen stressed that government transparency isn't just a concern for journalists and watchdog groups; it directly affects every Floridian.
From school funding to property tax proposals, she said the public needs information to make informed decisions about their communities and their money.
"So the press serves as our eyes and ears, the public's eyes and ears," said Petersen. "They have the skill and the ability, and what they're doing is providing us with the information we need to hold our government accountable."
This weekend, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr faced bipartisan criticism for threatening to revoke broadcast licenses over news coverage of the Iran conflict.
Petersen noted that Sunshine Week itself was born in Florida in 2002 as Sunshine Sunday before becoming a national event. She said the need for public awareness and civic engagement is greater now than at any point in her career.
The week includes nationwide events aimed at educating citizens about their rights to attend government meetings and access government records.
Key Points:
- Sunshine Week originated in Florida in 2002 before expanding into a national awareness campaign about open government.
- Transparency advocates say Florida’s reputation as a leader in public records access is fading.
- Critics point to delays and non-responses from government agencies to public records requests.
- Advocates argue that access to information is essential for citizens to monitor government spending and decision-making.
- Nationwide events during Sunshine Week aim to educate the public about their rights to access government meetings and records.
