Laws on access to government meetings and records are often called 'Sunshine' laws or 'Freedom of Information Acts.' In Iowa, such laws more typically are referred to as 'the open meetings law,' which is Iowa Code Chapter 21, and 'the open records law,' w

Laws on access to government meetings and records are often called 'Sunshine' laws or 'Freedom of Information Acts.' In Iowa, such laws more typically are referred to as 'the open meetings law,' which is Iowa Code Chapter 21, and 'the open records law,' which is Iowa Code Chapter 22. The intent of Chapter 21 is made clear in its opening lines: "This chapter seeks to assure . . . that the basis and rationale of government decisions, as well as those decisions themselves, are easily accessible to the people. Ambiguity in the construction or application of this chapter should be resolved in favor of openness."