North Carolina Press Association

History-Making Access to State & Local Government Records now within Reach

When the 2021 session of the General Assembly began, passage of legislation to advance public access to records of disciplinary actions taken by those employed by taxpayers in state and local … more

Sandy Hurley and Bill Moss | 9/27/21

The Government Transparency Act of 2021 Timeline

Open Government access in North Carolina went through several historic steps this legislative session, and despite the work of anti-transparency lobbying groups representing teachers and state … more

6/30/21

North Carolina is an outlier among states in keeping so much information about government employees shrouded in secrecy.

This secrecy is at odds with North Carolina's otherwise broad commitment to principles of government transparency that promote our informed democracy. In other areas of public records law, … more

6/11/21

NC senators: Personnel records on educators, police and others shouldn’t be secret

It’s no secret that disciplinary records of taxpayer-funded employees are kept behind lock and key. That shroud of secrecy prevents the public from finding out why a teacher moves from school … more

NORMAN SANDERSON, BILL RABON AND JOYCE KRAWIEC | 5/27/21

Our Opinion: Transparency foes don't represent NC stakeholders

A Wilson Times editorial Who says North Carolina’s state employees and schoolteachers are against transparency? Lobbying efforts from the State Employees Association of North Carolina … more

The Wilson Times | 5/25/21

Why are Democrats AWOL on public’s right to know?

With no meaningful state law giving North Carolinians the right to see disciplinary records of those they employ in state and local government jobs, how will we ever know? How will we know … more

PAUL MAUNEY and BILL MOSS | 5/20/21

The NCPA rebuttal to NCAE's campaign of misinformation

The NC Press Association 1) corrects the misinformation in NCAE's letter about the public records laws in other states (where virtually complete public access to the entire government personnel file … more

5/10/21

Transparency of operations is a Constitutional issue

Senate Bill 355, legislation that promotes and enhances public access to the performance records of public employees, is generating significant resistance from various state organizations that have … more

Carteret County News Times Editorial | 5/7/21

Edwards signs on to bill improving public records access

North Carolina taxpayers will have access to the reasons why government employees are hired, fired, promoted, demoted or suspended if a bill proposed in the state Legislature and cosponsored by state … more

Amy B. McCraw, | 4/6/21

Our View: NC lawmakers should pass Transparency Act, break ‘culture of secrecy’, build trust

The following are all true North Carolina stories — but we never learned the whole story, or else learned it well after the fact: — A popular schools superintendent in Moore County was … more

The Fayetteville Observer | 4/6/21

NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS AND NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION VOICE THEIR SUPPORT FOR SENATE BILL 355, THE “GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2021,” AND URGE ITS PASSAGE

The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) 1 and the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA)2 strongly support the Government Transparency Act of 2021 – Senate Bill 355 – … more

4/1/21

Legislation aims to open government personnel records to public

The days of having government employees fade into oblivion without any mention of the misdeeds that led to their dismissal may soon be over in North Carolina if the newly proposed Government … more

AMELIA HARPER | 4/1/21

Editorial: SB 355 would curtail likelihood of rogue public sector employees

Senate Bill 355 — the Government Transparency Act of 2021 — would at last allow the public to see the disciplinary files of public employees, files that have long been held in secret in … more

THE NEWS REPORTER | 3/31/21

Senators push for more transparency in government worker personnel records

A growing number of senators are signing on to a bill that would make more information available to the public on government employee performance. Under Senate Bill 355, a description of the … more

Andrew Dunn. Carolina Journal | 3/30/21

THE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2021/A BILL TO OPEN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL RECORDS

Last week, many newspapers wrapped up coverage of Sunshine Week, a time set aside to promote government accountability through public records and public meetings. In North Carolina, the idea of … more

Paul Mauney and Bill Moss | 3/25/21

Time is right to open public employee personnel files

Across America, Sunshine Week is a time when newspaper editors celebrate the public’s right to see government records and attend government meetings. That makes this an especially good time … more

Hendersonville Lightning | 3/16/21

HIGH TIME FOR NC TO JOIN BEST GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY STATES / A BILL TO OPEN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL RECORDS

It’s Sunshine Week across America, a time when the public’s right to see government records and attend government meetings — in order to hold government officials accountable to the … more

Paul Mauney and Bill Moss | 3/12/21

Let government know who’s boss

When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault.” That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for … more

Ken Paulson | 3/8/21

Editorial: His ridiculous claim is wrong; transparency, access is paramount

Harry Warren, the N.C. House of Representatives member from Rowan County, is among the dubious leaders early in this session of the General Assembly for most ridiculous claim. At a committee … more

Bladen Journal | 3/8/21

Who cares about public notices? You should.

One of the great things about living in the U.S. is that our city and county governments are required to keep their citizens informed about their actions. One of the ways they do this is through … more

Dean Ridings. Americas Newspapers | 2/24/21