Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

PRINTER'S NO.   339
                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 32
                                                Session of
                                                  2025
     INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, VENKAT, STEELE, HARKINS, SANCHEZ, GUENST,
        KENYATTA, MALAGARI, GIRAL, BURGOS, NEILSON, HILL-EVANS,
        SCHLOSSBERG, GREEN, MADDEN AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        JANUARY 28, 2025
     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
        OPERATIONS, JANUARY 28, 2025
                                 A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating the week of March 16 through 22, 2025, as "Sunshine
 2      Week" in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, The basic principles of freedom of speech and
 4   freedom of the press guaranteed in the Constitution of the
 5   United States are fundamental to our national heritage; and
 6      WHEREAS, Since 2005, the American Society of News Editors and
 7   the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association and its members, which
 8   include all of this Commonwealth's 82 daily newspapers, 124
 9   nondaily and collegiate news publications and 13 online-only
10   news organizations annually observe "Sunshine Week" in mid-
11   March, coinciding with James Madison's birthday on March 16, as
12   a nonpartisan, nonprofit initiative to illustrate the importance
13   of open government and public access to government records and
14   meetings; and
15      WHEREAS, "Sunshine Week" participation by nonjournalism
16   groups is growing through national and local forums planned by
 1   civic groups, libraries, open government and freedom of
 2   information groups and student media; and
 3      WHEREAS, "Sunshine Week" was established to spark a
 4   discussion about the importance of open government and public
 5   access to government documents and meetings; and
 6      WHEREAS, These issues are important in this Commonwealth,
 7   where public access issues regularly emerge; therefore be it
 8      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
 9   week of March 16 through 22, 2025, as "Sunshine Week" in
10   Pennsylvania; and be it further
11      RESOLVED, That all residents of this Commonwealth be urged to
12   join in this observance of the basic principles of an open and
13   accessible government in a free society.
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