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ME Legislators Back Sunshine Week Resolution

Published: March 18, 2005
Last Updated: March 18, 2005

The following is a press release from State Senator Hobbins

Augusta—State Senator Barry Hobbins, D-York County, and Senate chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, today [March 17] was pleased to introduce a motion recognizing March 13-19 as Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week was initiated by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to help celebrate the basic principles of freedom of speech and freedom of the press guaranteed in the United States Constitution. “On behalf of the members of Judiciary Committee and the Legislature, I am pleased to help recognize Sunshine Week,” said Sen. Hobbins.

“The public must have unfettered access to government and the activities of those in charge. Our country continues to serve as a role model to others in this way, and I know the committee I work in—the Judiciary Committee—will continue to do our best to make our government here in Maine open and accessible to the public and press,” added Sen. Hobbins.

The text of the resolution follows below.

WHEREAS, the basic principles of freedom of speech and freedom of the press guaranteed in the United States Constitution are fundamental to our national heritage; and

WHEREAS, the American Society of Newspaper Editors has initiated Sunshine Week: Your Right to Know as a way of illustrating the importance of open government; and

WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is established to spark a discussion about the importance of open government and public access to government documents and meetings; and

WHEREAS, the issue is important in the State of Maine especially, since we have been currently addressing public access bills in this legislative session; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Legislature, now assembled in the First Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize Sunshine Week: Your Right to Know during the week of March 13-19, 2005 and that we confirm the basic principles of an open and accessible government in a free society and we join Governor John E. Baldacci in urging all citizens to join in this observance.

(4-4) On motion by Senator HOBBINS of York (Cosponsored by Representative PELLETIER-SIMPSON of Auburn and Representatives: BRYANT of Windham, BRYANT-DESCHENES of Turner, CANAVAN of Waterville, CARR of Lincoln, DUNN of Bangor, FAIRCLOTH of Bangor, NASS of Acton, SHERMAN of Hodgdon), the following Joint Resolution: S.P. 478