By Trimmel Gomes, Public News Service
Advocates working to protect access to public information in Florida say the state’s reputation for government transparency is fading. While the “Sunshine State” moniker is built on laws designed to guarantee public access, experts report those laws are increasingly ignored.
David Cuillier, director of the University of Florida’s Brechner Freedom of Information Project, said research reveals a troubling trend of growing secrecy at all levels of government. He warned this erosion threatens the tangible benefits transparency provides, from safer restaurants to lower taxes.
“Access in Florida used to be heralded as one of the best in the country,” he explained. “And our research shows it’s really gone downhill over the past 10, 15 years to where really it’s in the bottom half of the states now as far as actual compliance with public records laws.”
Cuillier pointed to a national pattern of increasing government secrecy but notes Florida’s decline is particularly striking and says fewer advocacy groups and a struggling news industry have created a “perfect storm” where governments face less pressure to comply with open records laws. Cuillier warned the issue is not abstract but directly impacts democratic accountability and everyday life.
“What happens when that gets to zero percent and you can’t find out what the government’s up to, then that’s when bad things happen,” he continued.” That’s when governments start acting like Russia, North Korea, all sorts of countries where secrecy breeds bad actions by tyrants.”
Some legislation aimed at improving access is proposed in Florida’s upcoming legislative session. Cuillier encouraged residents to engage with the process, and demand accountability to restore the state’s legacy of openness.
Push for Public Record Compliance
State Rep. Alex Andrade is taking aim at Florida’s public records problem with HB 436, legislation designed to compel government agencies to comply in good faith with transparency laws.
The bill comes after years of frustration with agencies—from local governments to the Governor’s office—ignoring or indefinitely delaying records requests. “I’ve asked for records from the Governor’s office, from state agencies, and they just sit on ’em. They ignore it,” Andrade said on the “(We Don’t) Color on the Dog” podcast. “In fact, I heard one story of a state official saying they don’t even bother looking at the request until they receive some notice from the requester that they intend to sue them.”
The legislation would require agencies to respond within three days of receiving a request with either the records themselves, a good-faith timeline and cost estimate, or explicit statutory reasons for denial.
