Definition
Legislation requiring government meetings and records to be open to public scrutiny, because apparently politicians need to be legally forced to do their jobs in daylight. A radical concept that government should actually be visible to the governed.
Example Usage
Under the state's sunshine law, the city council had to hold public hearings before approving the controversial zoning change.
Origin
From Justice Louis Brandeis's 1913 quote 'Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.' Widespread adoption in the 1970s post-Watergate.
Fun Fact
Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law is so strict that even two commissioners accidentally meeting at the grocery store could violate it if they discuss public business.
Related Terms
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See “sunshine law” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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