Oklahoma elects 13 who signed open government pledge
From Sunshine Review
26 November 2008
This past election, Oklahoma voters elected 13 out of the 25 candidates who signed the Open Government Pledge from FOI Oklahoma. Of the 215 candidates who ran throughout the state, only these 25 pledged to always support the public's right to know. While candidates in other states have signed similar pledges in recent years, this was the first time for such action in Oklahoma.[1]
[edit] Pledges
Those elected include five metro-area members of the state house and Oklahoma County commissioner-elect Brian Maughan. A full listing of candidates who signed the pledge can be found at the FOI Oklahoma website.[2]
All 25 candidates pledged to "endorse the purpose of Oklahoma's Open Meeting and Open Records laws to ensure and facilitate the public's understanding of governmental processes and problems. Therefore, I pledge to support at every opportunity the public policy of the State of Oklahoma that the people are vested with the inherent right to know and be fully informed about their government so that they can efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power."[3]
Specifically, candidates for the state legislature pledged to "support legislation to strengthen the letter and the spirit of Oklahoma's Open Meeting and Open Records laws," while candidates for local office pledged that they and the public bodies they are elected to govern "will comply with not only the letter but also the spirit of Oklahoma's Open Meeting and Open Records laws."[3]
[edit] OK Ranking
In a report issued last October by the Better Government Association, Oklahoma's open records and open meetings laws ranked 31 and 32 in the nation. Overall, the BGA ranked OK 21st in the strength of laws dealing with transparency, accountability, and limits in government.[1]
