Accessing Government: How difficult is it?

Publication Date: March 2009

Publisher: Citizen Advocacy Center

Author(s): Terry Pastika; Natalie Brouwer

Research Area: Social conditions

Keywords: public participation; public access to government ; advocacy

Type: Report

Coverage: Michigan Ohio Illinois Wisconsin Minnesota

Abstract:

While every state in the nation has laws that require public access to government records and meetings, in five Midwestern states that were analyzed in this study, documents are often kept secret and doors can remain tightly closed.

According to this Citizen Advocacy Center report which was released in March 2009, open government laws in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota have systemic barriers that chill public participation and access to government, which weakens our democratic system designed to be by, for and of the people.