Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” and that’s as true today as it was when he first said it.

Over the last several years we’ve taken a number of important steps in Delaware to let the sunshine in so that the people of Delaware can have real knowledge of how laws are made and put together and how regulations are proposed and enacted.

Well, recently I joined with Senator Tony Deluca the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House Bob Gilligan on a bill that they’re introducing.  It’s Senate Bill 185 – and its goal is to have more sunlight with respect to how lobbyists lobby on behalf of bills or on behalf of regulations that they’re involved in.  When enacted, this legislation will ensure that all lobbyists file electronically within five days once they have any kind of direct communication with a member of the General Assembly, with me the Governor, the Lt. Governor, or with people in agencies with respect to regulations.

This is an important bill.  It’s an important step forward – because the people of Delaware have a right to know.  I’ve been pleased to work with so many members of the General Assembly over the last few years to continue to open up Delaware’s government.  Working together, this is a terrific way to ensure that we keep Delaware moving forward.

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