First state public access advisor appointed

INDIANA–In a move he characterized as continuing his administration’s commitment to open government, Governor Frank O’Bannon appointed the state’s first Public Access Counselor in late June. Anne Mullin O’Connor, a deputy attorney general with extensive experience in the advocacy of open government and public records, will fill the position starting in mid-July.

The governor characterized the new position as designed “to ensure that we continue to follow through on our commitment to an open government.” He also stated that O’Connor would be responsible for handling complaints from persons who encounter difficulty in accessing public records.

Her role will primarily be to act in an advisory capacity, informing the public and helping to instruct government officials in the applications of the state’s open government laws and issuing advisory legal opinions about the laws.