History of Open Government in San José
Sunshine Reform Task Force
In April of 2006, the City Council approved the establishment of the Sunshine Reform Task Force to review and make recommendations to the council regarding open government in the City of San José. The
Task Force was initially comprised of 15 members representing various neighborhood and civic organizations, the news media, and academia.
May 2006, the Sunshine Reform Task Force began meeting and in the course of its work, determined to present its open government recommendations to the San José City Council in two phases.
Timeline
View the
Sunshine Reform Task Force Timeline.
Phase I
August 21, 2007, City Council approved the Sunshine Reform Task Force (SRTF) Phase I Part I recommendations on public information. Council also approved recommendations on closed session, with the exception of audio recording closed sessions. Council directed Staff to proceed with implementation on a pilot basis. Council also directed staff to continue gathering feedback concerning public meeting recommendations from other potentially affected entities and then report back to the Rules and Open Government Committee (ROGC).
June 10, 2008, the City Council approved the SRTF Phase I Part II recommendations for public meetings and remaining closed session items as amended by ROGC and directed staff to implement the recommendations on a pilot basis.
Phase I Report & Recommendations
Phase II
August 2007, the Sunshine Reform Task Force subcommittees began Phase II, formulating recommendations to make government more open and accountable through four areas:
- Ethics and conduct - Defining appropriate conduct for City employees, officials, and those who do business or volunteer with the City
- Technology - Suggesting upgrades and changes to the way information is organized and presented on the City’s website
- Administration and accountability - Defining the City’s structure and processes for addressing potential violations of open government regulations
- Public records - Defining what documents and information are open to the public
The task force completed its Phase II recommendations April 2008. August 2008, the ROGC began its review of those recommendations. That review is now in progress.
Phase II Report & Recommendations