Journalists write and talk a lot about transparency, about things said and done during public meetings, and about government agencies that refuse to provide the public with documents or information. Why do we care so much about these things? In short: Because an informed citizenry is paramount to a thriving democracy.
Every member of the public has the legal right to attend meetings held by bodies like school districts, city councils and county commissions. The public also has the right to attend legislative discussions at the state capitol. These meetings, and dozens of others, are open to anyone who’d like to attend.
The public also has a right to inspect documents, like police reports, court records, contracts and even emails or text messages sent and received by public officials. In general, if a document, audio or video file is created during the course of running any form of government, you have a right to inspect it.
These records provide insight into how your government is functioning, and how it is spending your tax money. It’s information you can use to judge for yourself how well elected and appointed government officials are representing you and your community.
In New Mexico, two key laws ensure information is made available to the public. The Open Meetings Act, or OMA, ensures the public has access to meetings held by governmental bodies, and it sets the rules for how these meetings are conducted. The Inspection of Public Records Act, or IPRA, provides access to a lengthy list of documents, as well as audio and video recordings.
This week is Sunshine Week, and we at the SPJ-Rio Grande encourage everyone to check out a public meeting. While the pandemic has made many parts of life more difficult, one slight upside is that it’s never been easier to attend a public meeting because most are online. Most are streamed live, but many are also available afterward as recordings. Your local city council or school board likely has a YouTube page or other centralized place to view these meetings.
Watching a public meeting, learning about OMA or filing an IPRA request are easy. The SPJ-Rio Grande has put together some information about your rights under these sunshine laws, and information on how to file a records request under IPRA. Visit spjriogrande.org/sunshine to learn more.
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government also has a ton of great resources on its website at nmfog.org, or you can call 505-764-3750 to get help with specific open government issues.
