Government in the Sunshine Act Law and Legal Definition
Government in the Sunshine Act (Act) is a federal legislation that aimed at creating greater transparency and candidness in government. The Act requires that meetings of federal agencies with multiple members such as agencies headed by a collegial body must be open to public observation. The Act was enacted in 1976 and is codified in 5 USCS § 552..
However, the Act provides ten exemptions, on which meetings may be closed and information regarding such meetings can be withheld from the public. In addition to the exemptions, there are certain categories of information that need not be disclosed, and they include :< /p>
1.information relating to national defense,
2.information relating to internal personnel rules and practices,
3.information relating to accusing a person of a crime,
4.information relating to disclosure constituting a breach of privacy,
5.information relating to investigatory records where the information would harm the proceedings,
6.information relating to financial speculation or endangering the stability of any financial institution, and
7.information relating to the agency's participation in legal proceedings.