Gov. DeSantis keeps Florida in the dark by obstructing government transparency | Opinion

By Bobby Block, The Palm Beach Post, Feb. 8, 2025  

There was a time when Florida set the gold standard for open government.

Our Sunshine laws were the envy of the nation, a model for accountability, transparency and public access to information about what our government gets up to. Those days are over. Today, Florida is sliding into secrecy at an alarming pace, and the blame rests squarely with Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state agencies following his lead. 

Public records laws in Florida aren’t suggestions; they’re enshrined in law, designed to ensure that the people know what their government is doing in their name. But DeSantis’ office has decided that compliance is optional. Delay, deny or ignore — that’s the new standard operating procedure for the Executive Office of the Governor. The message is clear: If you want access to records that you’re legally entitled to, you’ll have to sue us.