A.G. 'out on a limb'
In a state where the ruling Republican Party's Senate members routinely meet behind closed doors to hash out public policy, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff wants to let the sunshine in.
Senate President John Valentine says the Senate's closed caucus is a long-standing tradition that he expects to continue.
In a small irony, Utah's journalists' association gave Valentine, right, its Sunshine Award, for opening up state government through electronic broadcasts of proceedings.
Valentine countered that Shurtleff should think about opening the A.G.'s office meetings.
"The concern is that, in a state where one party has the votes to determine the outcome . . . those decisions are made behind closed doors. I'll just go out on a limb here . . . the people's business is being done, decisions are being made on laws that will impact us, everything ought to be done to make that open."Utah legislators have specifically exempted their caucuses from the state's open meetings requirement. Still, usually only the Senate Republicans close their meetings to the public.
Senate President John Valentine says the Senate's closed caucus is a long-standing tradition that he expects to continue.
In a small irony, Utah's journalists' association gave Valentine, right, its Sunshine Award, for opening up state government through electronic broadcasts of proceedings.
Valentine countered that Shurtleff should think about opening the A.G.'s office meetings.
"It's a bit of a non sequitur where he's calling out one branch of government. It's easy for him to say I have the court shield so I don't have to have anything open."For information on your rights to open meetings go here: www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/GRAMA.html.
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