Transparency group reports January funds

Arkansas Citizens for Transparency, the coalition behind a constitutional amendment and initiated act to strengthen the state’s Freedom of Information Act, raised a total of $1,093 in January.

In total, the group has raised $2,798 since it began fundraising in December. As of its latest report the group has $2,727 in cash, having spent $71.06 in January.

Arkansas Citizens for Transparency Treasurer David Couch provided the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a photo of the group’s financial disclosure notarized by Sara McCarty, a notary public in Washington County.

Ballot question committees are required to file monthly financial disclosure reports with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

In January, Attorney General Tim Griffin signed off on the wording for Arkansas Citizens for Transparency’s proposed amendment and initiated act, allowing the group to begin the work of collecting signatures for their measures to make the ballot.

The group’s constitutional amendment would create a right to government transparency and make it more difficult for the General Assembly to change the Freedom of Information Act.

Under the proposal, changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act would require a two-thirds majority in the Legislature that would take effect only after approval by the voters through a statewide referendum.

Immediate changes to the Freedom of Information Act would require a nine-tenths vote in the General Assembly that could be overturned by a statewide referendum under the amendment.

The amendment also would take away the state’s sovereign immunity in cases concerning government transparency.

If approved, the initiated act would establish a state commission to assist citizens with their records requests and give courts the authority to issue civil penalties against government bodies that don’t comply with a records request.

The initiated act also would clarify that the government must disclose public records within three working days upon request or explain the reason for nondisclosure and set a long-sought definition for a public meeting.

To make the ballot, Arkansas Citizens for Transparency will need to collect 90,704 signatures for its amendment and 72,563 for its initiated act by July 5.