There’s no dearth of worthwhile legislation that would make government more accessible to citizens, nor has there been in recent decades. The problem continues to be the failure of lawmakers to act responsibly.

This predicament couldn’t be more obvious than during Sunshine Week, which is currently under way to highlight Freedom of Information Laws. The annual initiative by the American Society of Newspaper Editors seeks to ensure that citizens get the public information they need.

The state Assembly took a step forward this week when it adopted four open government bills. Included was a proposal requiring certain records discussed at open meetings to be made available to the public in advance. This open government bill, like the other three, has been floating around Albany for years. This year, the state Senate must get on board.

Meanwhile, there’s strong support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo for legislation that actually hurts government transparency. It would repeal a requirement that constitutional amendments be published in newspapers prior to the election.

While proponents argue that newspapers are upset because of potential revenue loss, the bigger loss is to the public. Take the state Senate’s current push for a constitutional amendment to reform the way legislative district lines are drawn. Voters would have fewer reliable sources to get thorough information about constitutional amendments. And other similar repeals of required notices would likely follow.

Meantime, the Empire Center for Public Policy is proposing an overdue update of the state’s FOIL statute. In response to FOIL requests, state and local government agencies would be required to post data online in a uniform format.

Citizens must insist that lawmakers act responsibly by continuing the battle to force government out of the shadows and into the sunshine.

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