State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm praises moves to strengthen state's Open Meetings Law

State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco is praising steps to make state government more open in making records available and holding open meetings.

Wilhelm says the new nine-member Iowa Public Information Board will make government more responsive and transparent than ever by giving Iowans better access to government information and public records.
 
The board will report to the legislature on complaints, proceedings, investigations, hearings, decisions rendered and recommendations for improving public access to government information.

The board will help government officials comply with Iowa's open meetings and records laws, and help citizens who have questions or concerns about their rights. It will provide informal assistance, offer mediation and settlement, conduct formal investigations, determine when violations have occurred and levy penalties.

Says Wilhelm, "What makes Iowa's Public Information Board exceptional is that it is one of the few state agencies in the country that has the power to enforce laws."

To find out more about the Iowa Public Information Board, go to www.inanews.com/communityconversations/files/Public_Information_Board.pdf.