What Is the Amtrak Sunshine Act?
Amtrak is a leading public transport service that reaches almost every state in America. The Amtrak Sunshine Act is an act imposed on Amtrak as part of the many Sunshine Laws passed across the US.
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Definition
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The Sunshine Act is a contractual agreement As of 1976 every non-government agency had to comply with the newly instated Sunshine Act; Amtrak was no exception. The Sunshine Act ensures that all meeting minutes must be open to public access. Amtrak must also announce any further meetings that are planned.
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Meeting minutes must be accessible to the public The Sunshine Act links in closely with the Freedom of Information Act, as it ensures members of the public reserve the right to access of information on all subjects, especially because the company is a public service. The Amtrak Sunshine Act also links in with the role of journalists. The Act ensures that journalists are allowed access from the opening to the closing minutes of any Amtrak meeting.
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Warnings
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Only some information is accessible As stated in Amtrak's Freedom Of Information Act Annual Report, the company still hold reasons as to why a member of the public or journalist cannot access the meeting minutes or policies. In fact, there are nine categories as to why somebody may be rejected when requesting information. Some of these include: Amtrak passenger personal identifying information, security-related information which may show vulnerabilities at Amtrak train stations, proprietary and commercially competitive Amtrak revenue information, and preliminary opinions of Amtrak employees during law enforcement investigations.
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