Florida lawmakers failing open government
If you’ve everwondered howseriously state legislators value your constitutional right to open government, you can thank the Florida Society ofNews Editors for bringing it out in the sunshine. The problem isworse thanwe thought. The FSNE unveiled its first Sunshine scorecard lastweek, grading all 160 legislators against their votes on public record bills that Florida’s Amendment Foundation either supported or opposed.
Not a single state lawmaker received an A. Only nine had a B. Therewere 71Cs— which is considered average. And half of the legislators received a subpar grade, with 77 Ds and three Fs.
Florida might have the nation’s most robust open government laws, but they’re clearly under assault by our lawmakers. The public should be outraged, especially after a legislative session in which much of our budget and policywas decided behind closed doors.
For decades, Florida has been the country’s shining example of howto keep politicians honest. We’re one of the few states that guarantee open government in the state constitution. And Florida takes it a step further, requiring the Legislature to pass bills for exemptions. In theory, that should keep lawmakers from gutting the Sunshine Law.
But legislators have continued pecking away at openness.
Florida’s Sunshine Lawnowhas nearly 1,200 exemptions. Under the guise of privacy issues, state officials have hid details about children killed in foster care, seniors killed in nursing homes, and prisoners killed while locked up.
Lawmakers have hidden fromthe public howmuch taxpayer money is given to companies for incentives and howmuch vendors are paid by contract.
Rep. Joseph Geller, DAventura
Rep. Lori Berman, DLantana
None
Richard Stark, DWeston Sen. Kevin Rader, DBoca Raton
Sen. Lauren Book, DPlantation
Rep. Kristin Jacobs, D-Coconut Creek
Rep. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Boynton Beach
Sen. Jeff Clemens, DLakeWorth
Oscar Branyon, D-Miami Gardens
Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach
Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs
Rep. Barrington Russell, D-Lauderdale Lakes
Rep. Perry Thurston Jr., D-Fort Lauderdale
Rep. Bobby DuBose,
This year, the Legislature tried to put a giant dagger in the Sunshine Lawby allowing two ormore elected officials fromthe same governmental body to speak about official business privately— away fromthe public. More than half of the FloridaHouse voted for it, but state lawfortunately requires two-thirds of the Legislature to vote for Sunshine Lawexemptions. That one didn’t pass, but plenty supported for it, including eight lawmakers fromBroward and Palm Beach counties.
If thatwasn’t enough of an eye opener, the Sunshine scorecard makes it clear that not enough politicians care about your right to open government.
“I’m getting some really interesting responses (to the scorecard),” Barbara Petersen, president of Florida’s First Amendment Foundation, told the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board. “People are asking ‘when are you going to score the courts?’ People are paying attention to it and the legislators seem to be paying attention to it aswell.”
Neither party faredwell on the scorecard but Republicans especially struggled — the most common grade for Democrats was a C-minus while more of the GOP scored aD-plus.
No South Florida Republican scored higher than a C and mostwereD-plus or lower. While four Broward and Palm Beach County Democrats scored B-minus or B-plus, many had Ds.
It’s unacceptable. Florida needs to return to its roots as a state that prides itself on open government.
Petersen admits the scoring system isn’t perfect. No one received an A because a single bill thatwas opposed by the First Amendment Foundation passed unanimously. That bill shielded the arrest records of people who are found innocent in court. The First Amendment Foundation was right to oppose it.
“If a person is accused of sexual assault in four counties, but not convicted, it shows a pattern of criminal behavior,” Petersen said earlier this year.
It also wipes away the arrest records of public figures like Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman whowere exonerated in court but remain suspicious in the public eye.
Expect changes to next year’s scorecard to give credit to lawmakers who helped improve bills the First Amendment Foundation initially opposed.
“This had never been done before and of course there are some little kinks that need to beworked out,” Petersen said.
The Sunshine scorecard will only improve, andwe’re fortunate to have a transparent tool that keeps politicians honest. Nowit’s on them to prove they care about your right to an open government.
Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O’Hara, AndrewAbramson, Elana Simms, Gary Stein and Editor-in-ChiefHoward Saltz.