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Mar 2018 Page resized
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Seminole Producer
Gubernatorial Candidate Says Legislature
Should Not be Exempt From Sunshine Law
Secret meetings and
backroom deals are the
everyday norm at our state
capitol. That is why guber-
natorial candidate Drew
Edmondson is calling on
Oklahoma’s legislature to
fully subject its actions to
public scrutiny.
The legislature has
exempted itself from the
Open Meetings Act and
Open Records Act, but
Edmondson believes the
Oklahoma House of Rep-
resentatives and Oklahoma
Senate should be held to
the same standards as
other public bodies in Okla-
homa.
“Government belongs
to the people,” Edmondson
said. “Every meeting they
hold, every document they
create – those things do not
belong to the legislature,
they belong to the people.
The legislature should
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
conduct its business in the
open, for all to see. Instead,
the deals are done and
then spoils are distributed
in private. What we see in
committee hearings and on
the floor of the house and
senate is simply ceremony.”
A recipient of Freedom
of Information Oklahoma’s
Marian Opala First Amend-
ment Award, Edmondson
has long been recognized
as a champion of open gov-
ernment.
“Legislators should know
that their constituents are
tired of closed-door meet-
ings where corporate CEOs
and high-paid lobbyists
have seats at the table but
everyday Oklahomans are
kept in the dark,” Edmond-
son said. “We can begin to
restore trust in Oklahoma
government if our elected
officials would only let the
(See Sunshine on Page 12)
 Seminole Producer

ton University, Northeastern phone at 405-382-9646.

Mar
Sunshine
13
(Continued from Page 1) a statewide, multiyear series
light shine in.” of educational seminars
2018 Edmondson has pledged designed to inform local,
Page as governor to create an county and state officials, as
0012 Office of Open Government well as the general public,
Clip with the sole purpose of about the requirements of
resized
82% ensuring compliance with Oklahoma’s sunshine laws.
From state and federal sunshine “Open government is nec-
0001
laws. essary for good government,”
“Good government dies Edmondson said. “Our legis-
in the dark,” Edmondson lators should not hide from
said. “Government agencies us. The decisions they make
should follow the letter of the and the laws they create
law but also the spirit of the impact every Oklahoman.
law. Oklahoma’s openness We are their constituents
laws were crafted to ensure and we have the right to hold
that governmental agen- them accountable for their
cies would be responsive to actions. Legislative leaders
the people they serve. The should move out of the shad-
intent of the laws is that the ows and into the light.”
public be informed. From A Navy veteran who
city hall to the state capitol, served our country in Viet-
government agencies and nam, Edmondson’s first job
public officials should stand upon leaving the military
on the side of openness.” was teaching speech and
As attorney general, debate at his alma mater,
Edmondson frequently Muskogee Central High
forced government agen- School. Edmondson is a
cies to be more transparent, graduate of Northeastern
including issuing an Opinion State College and the Uni-
that declared government versity of Tulsa School of
email records were public Law. He is a former district
documents available for attorney and served four
inspection, filling a gap in terms as Oklahoma’s attor-
public access to electronic ney general. Learn more
communications. Edmond- at www.drewforoklahoma.
son also created and taught com.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.