News-Leader: House refusal to expand Sunshine Law "shouldn't fly"

Earlier this week, the House refused to expand the Sunshine Law so that it includes legislative offices, and the editorial board at the News-Leader finds this a wee bit hypocritical:

What's good for the goose might not be so good for the gander after all -- at least not in Jefferson City.

House lawmakers voted Tuesday to require many kinds of government bodies to be more accessible to citizens.

But a majority failed to pass an amendment sponsored by Jake Zimmerman to clarify that the Sunshine Law applies to their individual offices, too.

We applaud the movement forward of HB316. It would create earlier notice requirements for certain public meetings, increased fines for those who violate the law and more openness at the Missouri Ethics Commission.

But those representatives who passed the bill while hypocritically opposing Zimmerman's amendment deserve some vigorous feather- ruffling. They include many Southwest Missouri Republicans.

For your reference, the following Representatives are opposed to open their offices to the public.