The Missouri Sunshine Law: Toward a model of enforcement

Audits have shown that compliance with public records and open meetings laws is generally abysmal across the country, and Missouri struggles with the same problems, according to a pair of surveys conducted by the state auditor.; To better understand the enforcement procedures and mechanisms in place in the United States, this thesis examines the public records and open meetings acts in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government. Specifically, the provisions for enforcement are reviewed and synthesized to create an ideal enforcement model.; This model differs greatly from Missouri's law, specifically in areas regarding administrative review and punishment. While Missouri may not be able to enact a law close to the model ordinance, which is based on the administrative agencies in place in Connecticut and New Jersey, it may be able to move toward an administrative review system that achieves some of the most important goals for those who are denied access to meetings and records: to expedite review of disputes, to do so in a cost-efficient manner, to increase awareness of the law among government bodies and to effectively deter potential violators.