Hearst Connecticut Media editorial
04/17/2026
While every year brings proposed changes to Connecticut’s Freedom of Information law, not all proposals are seeking exemptions that threaten to weaken it. There are a few FOI-related bills in this year’s legislative session that are worth supporting.
Last year was the 50th anniversary of the law, which also created the Freedom of Information Commission. Enacted in the wake of Watergate, Connecticut’s FOI law holds that people have the power over government and the right to know what public officials are doing on their behalf. It’s managed to survive 50 years of challenges.
Over that half century, the commission has had just two leaders. The FOIC recently announced the appointment of Danielle L. McGee as executive director and general counsel, making her the third person to hold the position, following Mitchell Pearlman and Colleen Murphy, who recently retired after 35 years with the commission. It’s not a stretch to say the next 50 years will also need diligent advocacy.