About two-thirds of Iowans believe government should be more open, according to a poll by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The same percentage said the Legislature should create a board to enforce laws on public records and public meetings.
After six years of work by concerned Iowans, local governments and news organizations, the Legislature created the Iowa Public Information Board in 2012. This year’s Administration & Regulation Budget (HF 603) provides $450,000 to cover salaries, office equipment, software and office space for the board to operate.
The nine-member panel is already meeting and will be fully operational this summer. This board will provide Iowans and government officials with an efficient and free method to address public information issues. It help government officials comply with Iowa’s open meetings and records laws, and help citizens with questions or concerns about their rights. Citizens will not be required to hire an attorney.
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. It will provide informal assistance, offer mediation and settlement, conduct formal investigations, determine when violations have occurred and levy penalties.
To find out more about the Iowa Public Information Board, go to www.inanews.com/about/ipib.php. To learn about your right to information under the law, check out the Open Meetings, Open Records Handbook from the Iowa Freedom of Information Council at www.drakejournalism.com/newsite_ifoic/omorh/omorh.htm.