Manatee County Clerk of Court Celebrates Sunshine Week

In recognition of Sunshine Week, March 15-21, 2020, The Manatee County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, Angelina “Angel” Colonneso, is honoring Florida’s commitment to government in the sunshine. Clerks play an important role in providing access to important documents, while also safeguarding confidential information.

Florida has a long history of protecting citizens’ rights to have access to public information. Beginning in 1909 with the Public Records Law and evolving to the Sunshine Law, Florida has long supported providing access and the ability to participate in government. Florida’s Sunshine Laws rank among the strongest in the country, demonstrating the state’s commitment to protecting residents’ rights to remain informed and engaged.

“Our citizens trust that they will be able to access information that they are entitled to, as the law provides,” said, Angelina “Angel” Colonneso, Manatee County Clerk of Court and Comptroller.  “We are especially proud that we take this time every year to continue education with our staff on public records laws and create awareness for our citizens.”

In honor of Sunshine Week, Clerk’s office employees will be wearing yellow on Monday, March 16, and staff members have been undergoing annual training on Florida’s Sunshine and Public Records laws.

While Sunshine Week is only once a year, Clerks uphold government transparency with accurate record-keeping and efficient reporting every day. Clerks are committed to serving the public and maintaining access to records and information. While Clerks provide a myriad of services for residents every day, granting records requests is among one of their greatest privileges.  Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers encourages constituents to take full advantage of the information they have at their disposal year-round. For more information about public records in Manatee County, visit: www.manateeclerk.com. For more information about Sunshine Week, visit www.sunshineweek.org.