If only Hoosiers concerned about government transparency could file a formal complaint with Indiana’s public access counselor …
… about Indiana’s public access counselor.
Jennifer Ruby, appointed to the position by Gov. Mike Braun in March 2025, is supposed to help ensure transparency in government. Instead, according to an Indystar investigation, she has made it more difficult for Hoosiers to challenge government secrecy.
Chief among the duties of the public access counselor ― a position established by the General Assembly in 1999 ― is responding to formal complaints by members of the public who believe they were wrongly denied access to public meetings or records. State law requires the public access counselor’s office to issue opinions within 30 days of a complaint.
But during 16 months in office, Ruby’s office took an average of nearly 250 days, or more than eight months, to issue an opinion. As the Indystar report notes, that’s more than three times longer than that of her predecessor, Luke Britt, during his final two years in office.
Keep in mind that the requests typically involve timely information; delays can make that information irrelevant.
Equally troubling is that when Ruby finally responds to requests, she’s more likely to favor the government when it denies access to members of the public. The analysis found that Ruby favored the government two-thirds of the time. That’s in stark contrast to Britt, who found in two-thirds of the cases that the government violated state law or could act differently to improve transparency.
It’s true that all opinions issued are advisory, and the counselor cannot issue fines. But the position itself is invaluable, a place where everyday Hoosiers can go when denied access to the government that is supposed to serve them. And that should matter to everyone ― Democrats, Republicans and independents.
The governor sure seemed to understand the significance of the public access counselor’s role when appointing Ruby last year, saying that “transparency for Hoosiers is important for a healthy state government,” and that his appointee “will do a great job promoting public trust through transparency and accountability.”
Sixteen months later, any sense of trust has been worn down by a track record of unacceptable delays and favoring government secrecy over the public’s right to know.
Editorials represent the opinion of the Tribune Editorial Board. Its members are Audience Engagement Editor Alesia I. Redding, Enterprise Editor Cory Havens and Executive Editor Ismail Turay Jr.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Indiana’s public access counselor ill-serving Hoosiers | Editorial
Reporting by Editorial Board, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Editorial Board, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
