Missouri s sunshine law is the embodiment of missouri s commitment to openness in government. The missouri sunshine law is series of state statutes designed to make sure the state government and its entities conduct business in an open and ethical way. Missouris commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in section 610. The circuit court granted summary judgment in the county commissions favor. This made missouri an early supporter of the open records act.
The missouri sunshine law was introduced in the general assembly. The sunshine law is missouris open meetings law which requires publicly funded organizations to conduct open meetings and make records available to the public. This is a request for records under the missouri sunshine law, chapter 610, revised statutes of missouri i request that you make available to me the describe the records as specifically as possible. This was seven years after the freedom of information act was passed in congress and the same year that the united states senate watergate committee conducted its hearings. Missouri sunshine law 12014 t he missouri sunshine law was introduced in the general assembly as senate bill 1 in 1973. Warrensburg a missouri sunshine law presentation jan. The revisor of statutes and the attorneys on the committee staff work for the missouri general assembly and are prohibited from providing the general public with legal advice, legal representation, legal research, interpretations of the law, or applications of the law to specific facts. This page is a resource to help missourians understand the missouri sunshine law and its implications for public and quasipublic governmental bodies, members of those.
Missouri sunshine law open meetings laws and open records laws every state has laws that affirm the publics right to see government documents, that dictates that all public bodies conduct business in a public fashion and affirms the right of citizens to observe public. The missouri sunshine law does not require that an open records request be submitted in a specific format. Sunshine law requests a sunshine law request is a request for a specific public record that is in existence at the time of the request. The sunshine law is the name commonly used to refer to missouri s open meetings and records statutes, which are found in chapter 610 of the missouri revised statutes. Federal officers and agencies are covered by the federal freedom of information act see page 80. Chapter 610 of the revised statutes of missouri is the foundation of what has become known as missouri s sunshine law. Missouri sunshine law missouris commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in section 610.
It is the official public policy of the state that governmental actions should be taken in the open, unless there is specific authority for a closed meeting or vote. In general terms, the sunshine law identifies which records and meetings of public governmental bodies in missouri are open to the public, and under what circumstances they may be. Missouri sunshine laws chapter 610 of the missouri revised statutes note. Attachment 1 the missouri sunshine law compliance checklist. This site will be related to missouri sunshine law.
State of missouri office of the secretary of state. Missouri sunshine laws chapter 610 of the missouri revised. Citizens of missouri have a right to know what is happening within various governmental bodies, including public schools. The sunshine law page the missouri office of the attorney general is an equal opportunity employer. Motion for summary judgment granted april 15, 2020. Louis sunshine lawpublic record policy allows for the furnish copies of public records on request. Missouris sunshine law is the embodiment of missouris commitment to openness in government. The department of social services dss is, like other state and local public governmental bodies, subject to missouri s open meetings and records sunshine law. Those may include seeking minutes from a council meeting, contracts between the government body and an independent contractor, or simply requesting more information on a water bill. Reviewing basics of sunshine law missouri press association. Sunshine law requests division of legal services missouri. I am not a lawyer, this page will be used to help educate and spread knowledge. Sunshine law basics except as otherwise provided by law all public meetings of public governmental bodies shall be open to the public as set forth in section 610. Law enforcement records and the missouri sunshine law.
The missouri sunshine law governs only state, local and. Records and meetings act, commonly referred to as missouris sunshine law. It is the official public policy of the state that governmental actions should be taken in the open, unless there is specific authority for a. State of missouri office of the secretary of state division. Citizens may utilize the sunshine law request form to submit a request for open records.
Legal actions involving any confidential or privileged communications. Information which is confidential under the missouri sunshine law, section 610. The city clerk is the custodian of records for springfield. Chapter 610 of the revised statutes of missouri is the foundation of what has become known as missouris sunshine law. Requesting personal records or information division of. This edition would not be possible without the original manual that john conceived and wrote. This hotline exists for members of the organization only not for the public. Sunshine law missouri attorney general state of missouri. This letter will serve as my written request under the missouri sunshine law, sec. Missouri sunshine law open meetings and records law city of. Missouri sunshine law open meetings laws and open records laws every state has laws that affirm the publics right to see government documents, that dictates that all public bodies conduct business in a public fashion and affirms the right of citizens to observe public governmental bodies as they conduct public business. A summary the missouri sunshine law governs only state, local and quasipublic governmental bodies. The missouri sunshine law is series of state statutes designed to make sure the state government and its entities conduct business in an open way. Missouri sunshine law presentation discusses open meetings.
Missouri s open records and meetings law, commonly referred to as the sunshine law, 610, rsmo. Copies of the booklet can be ordered through the attorney generals web site at. This page is a resource to help missourians understand the missouri sunshine law and its implications for public and quasipublic. Missouri revisor of statutes revised statutes of missouri. Then they decided to ignore the state sunshine law altogether. A sunshine law request is a request for a specific public record that is in existence at the time of the request. Summary of missouri s sunshine law missouri s commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in section 610. Missouri sunshine law pdf format416kb missouri sunshine law on the web. The missouri general assembly chose the phrase shall be inaccessible to the general public in addition to the more common phrase closed record used throughout the rest of the missouri sunshine law.
For each summary point, i also list the actual law being summarized in parentheses with the abbreviation rsmo followed by the chapter, section and subsection if relevant, so that you can use it or cite it when needed. Citizens of missouri have a right to know what is happening within various governmental bodies. Sunshine law missouri department of elementary and. The circuit courts judgment found the prosecutors conduct to be undisputedly purposeful, knowing, dilatory, and nonresponsive to the requirements of. That the fees to be charged for access to or furnishing copies of records shall be as hereinafter provided under chapter 610. Ziegler executive director it is the policy of the missouri ethics commission to comply with the provisions of chapter 610. Missouri sunshine law 1 with the passage of senate bill 1 in 1973, missouri became one of the earliest advocates for opening meetings and records at all levels of government to the people. Missouris commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in 610. This is a template for requesting public information in missouri in accordance with the missouri. Fighting sunshine law turns into expensive blunder for. The fees for researching documents that are responsive to a request are listed on the fees notice pdf. Louis city has provided a reasonable written policy in compliance with state law commonly referred to as the sunshine law, regarding the release of information on any meeting, record or vote.
Missouri sunshine law archives reclaim the records. Ballard local government serieseber cudefirst edition by john ballardacknowledgmentsthis manual is, first and foremost, the work of the late john ballard. Fortunately, the missouri sunshine law allows the citizen the. Missouris open records and meetings law, commonly referred to as the sunshine law, 610, rsmo.
It is the public policy of this state that meetings. The sunshine law declares missouris commitment to openness in government in 610. Joseph is dedicated to government transparency and compliance with missouris sunshine law and the citys open meetings and open records ordinances. May 22, 2014 under missouri law, these types of secret meetings are improper and illegal. Missouri s sunshine law, or revised statutes of missouri chapter 610, was signed into the missouri constitution in 1973 following the passage of the freedom of information act by the u. Missouris sunshine law was written to ensure that the public has the opportunity to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
Missouri sunshine laws chapter 610 of the missouri. Summary of missouris sunshine law missouris commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in section 610. The sunshine law is the name commonly used to refer to missouris open meetings and records statutes, which are found in chapter 610 of the missouri revised statutes. Missouri sunshine law 2019 by missouri office of attorney general. The department of social services dss is, like other state and local public governmental bodies, subject to missouris open meetings and records sunshine law. The sunshine law generally refers to missouris open meetings and records act as found in sections 610. One mark of johns authorship is his use of stories to teach. This includes the requirement to post public meetings and to respond to requests for the citys. To understand and protect your legal rights, you should consult your own attorney regarding any legal advice.
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