PRINTER'S NO. 573
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
46
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY PILEGGI, AUMENT, BAKER, BOSCOLA, BREWSTER, COSTA,
DINNIMAN, FARNESE, FONTANA, GREENLEAF, HAYWOOD, HUTCHINSON,
RAFFERTY, SCAVELLO, SCHWANK, SMITH, TEPLITZ, VULAKOVICH AND
WOZNIAK, MARCH 3, 2015
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MARCH 3, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of March 15 through 21, 2015, as "Sunshine
Week" in Pennsylvania to commemorate the anniversary of James
Madison's birth.
WHEREAS, James Madison, the father of our Federal
Constitution, was born on March 16, 1751; and
WHEREAS, James Madison wrote that "consent of the governed"
requires that the people be able to "arm themselves with the
power which knowledge gives;" and
WHEREAS, An open and accessible government is vital to
establishing and maintaining the people's trust and confidence
in government and in the government's ability to effectively
serve its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Every citizen in our participatory democracy has an
inherent right of access to government meetings and public
records; and
WHEREAS, The protection of every person's right of access to
public records and government meetings is and should remain a
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high priority of the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly is and should remain committed
to openness and transparency in all aspects of its operations
and seeks to set a standard in this regard; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of March 15
through 21, 2015, as "Sunshine Week" in Pennsylvania to
commemorate the anniversary of James Madison's birth; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Senate encourage government agencies
across the Commonwealth to enhance the public's access to
government records and information, to increase information
provided electronically and online and to ensure that all
meetings of deliberative bodies and their committees are fully
noticed and open to the public; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate commit to strengthening the
Commonwealth's Sunshine Act and the Right-to-Know Law to ensure
that all Pennsylvanians have meaningful access to government
records and a meaningful opportunity to participate in
government meetings.
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