Only about 10 percent of 360 candidates took the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information’s pledge prior to the 2014 election, but at least 10 more have signed the pledge since November.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman are the most recent elected officials to sign the pledge, which asks officials to oppose weakening the state’s public document disclosure law and to require public hearings for any attempts to change the law.
Prior to the election, 37 candidates signed the two-part pledge from the nonprofit organization. The organization re-issued the pledge on Jan. 8, the day after the start of the legislative session, and were able to get 10 more elected officials to sign the pledge. In total, 23 incumbents have signed the pledge, including 19 Democrats and four Republicans.
State legislators who represent Danbury, East Hartford, Manchester, Middletown, New Haven, Norwalk, Torrington, and Waterbury all signed the pledge this month.
Click here to read the list.
“It is heartening to see so many of the people’s representatives stand up for the people’s right to know,” CCFOI President, James H. Smith, said. “From Chester and Haddam to Stratford to Canton and Barkhamsted to Mansfield and Willington to Southington to Windsor Locks — from all over the state senators and state representatives have signed the pledge.”
The pledge lawmakers and elected officials agreed to is below:
“I will support and protect Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act, including the independence of the state’s unique Freedom of Information Commission, and oppose weakening it. If proposals are made to limit public access, I will, within my authority, assure such proposals are subjected to public processes, including public hearings, and will support such changes only when the public’s interest in non-access to records or proceedings clearly outweighs the public’s interest in access.”
