To mark this year’s observance of Sunshine Week, the Indiana Coalition for Open Government has joined with Public Access Counselor Joe Hoage to host two informational meetings about Indiana’s access laws.
Hoage will be the featured speaker at sessions in Muncie and West Lafayette. Both meetings are free and open to the public. On Thursday, March 15, Hoage will speak from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Muncie’s Kennedy library, 1700 W. McGalliard Rd. Then, on Monday, March 19, Hoage will speak from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the West Lafayette Public Library, 208 W. Columbia St. The West Lafayette meeting is co-sponsored by the Journal & Courier Media Group. Representatives of ICOG will be on hand at both meetings to answer questions about the organization and distribute materials on Indiana’s access laws.

Hoage, an attorney, was appointed as Indiana’s Public Access Counselor in July 2011 by Gov. Mitch Daniels. The PAC provides advice and guidance on Indiana’s open records and meetings laws to members of the public as well as public officials. The agency was created in 1998 by then-Gov. Frank O’Bannon, partly in response to ICOG’s efforts.

Sunshine Week is an annual national observance dedicated to promoting understanding of the the importance of openness in government. It was begun in 2005 and is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Bill of Rights author James Madison. This year, the observance runs from March 11 through March 17.

For more information about ICOG or this week’s meetings, send an email to info@indianacog.org.