Government openness and transparency are cornerstones to a healthy democracy and fights for access and fair process at all levels of government.
We can only hold our government accountable – and ensure that it is working on behalf of the people – when we shed light on what public entities and officials are doing. The ACLU of Maine advocates for strong laws that require transparency and public access, including to public meetings and government records, and we use open records requests to collect information relevant to protecting civil liberties.
The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Maine's Freedom of Access Act are crucial tools for ordinary people to provide checks and balances on elected officials; filing requests and obtaining information is just a first step in keeping public officials transparent and accountable.
