Public Records Accountability Committee. The public records exemptions accountability committee, commonly referred to as the sunshine committee, is tasked with reviewing statutory exemptions from public disclosure. Under current law, the 13-member committee must conduct an annual review of each public disclosure exemption in statute, and provide a recommendation as to whether the exemption should be continued without modification, modified, scheduled for sunset review at a later date, or terminated. The committee must meet at least once per quarter and present its recommendations to the Governor, attorney general, and appropriate committees of the Legislature. 

Ethics in Public Service Act. The ethics in public service act addresses financial conflicts and ethical issues for state officers and employees. Specifically, the act bars elected and appointed officials, as well as state employees, from engaging in activities that conflict with their official duties. The act includes that state officials and employees may not: 

• participate in state transactions from which they or their family members may personally benefit;
• assist another person in a transaction involving the state, except in the course of official duties;
• disclose confidential information with unauthorized persons;
• use their position to secure special privileges or exemptions for themselves; or
• give or receive compensation, gifts, rewards or gratuities for performing, omitting, or deferring the performance of an official duty.

The public records exemptions accountability committee must meet at least four times annually and present its annual recommendations to the appropriate committees of the Legislature during committee assembly days. Committee members are subject to the provisions of the ethics act.