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In statehouse battles, the issue has pitted advocates of government openness ? including journalists and civil liberties groups ? against lawmakers and others who worry that public information could be misused, whether it's by terrorists or by computer hackers hoping to use your credit cards. Security concerns typically won out.
The AP discovered a clear trend from the Sept. 11 attacks through legislative work that ended last year: States passed 616 laws that restricted access ? to government records, databases, meetings and more ? and 284 laws that loosened access. Another 123 laws had either a neutral or mixed effect, the AP found.
"What these open government laws do is break down that wall of government secrecy so that everybody knows what's going on," said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "A democracy can only function if we have information. You can only have oversight of government if you have information."
In statehouse battles, the issue has pitted advocates of government openness ? including journalists and civil liberties groups ? against lawmakers and others who worry that public information could be misused, whether it's by terrorists or by computer hackers hoping to use your credit cards. Security concerns typically won out.
The AP discovered a clear trend from the Sept. 11 attacks through legislative work that ended last year: States passed 616 laws that restricted access ? to government records, databases, meetings and more ? and 284 laws that loosened access. Another 123 laws had either a neutral or mixed effect, the AP found.
"What these open government laws do is break down that wall of government secrecy so that everybody knows what's going on," said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "A democracy can only function if we have information. You can only have oversight of government if you have information."
