Manatee County Clerk’s Office Celebrates Sunshine Week 2021

In recognition of Sunshine Week (March 14 – 20, 2021), Angel Colonneso, Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, is honoring Florida’s commitment to government in the sunshine.  Clerks play a vital role in providing access to important documents, including court and official records.

Florida has an extensive history of protecting citizens’ rights to have access to public information.  Beginning in 1909 with the Public Records Law and evolving to the Sunshine Law, Florida has long supported providing access and the ability to participate in government. Florida’s Sunshine Laws ranks among the strongest in the country, demonstrating the state’s commitment to protecting residents’ rights to remain informed and engaged.

The Manatee Clerk’s Office is responsible for providing our citizens with access to records and the resources they need to be active and engaged members of the community.  Maintaining transparency and equal access to public information is one of Clerk Colonneso’s main responsibilities.

“As Clerk of Court & Comptroller in Manatee County, I am proud of my responsibility and ability to provide our citizens with access to records and the resources they need to be active and engaged members of the community,” said Clerk Angel Colonneso.  “Maintaining transparency and equal access to public information is one of my core responsibilities as your Clerk of Court – and one I take very seriously. Every year we take this opportunity to continue to educate our employees on the laws pertaining to public records.”

Staff at the Manatee County Clerk’s Office will be wearing yellow on Tuesday, March 16th, to celebrate Sunshine Week, and our staff has been undergoing its annual training on the Sunshine Law and Public Records.

While Sunshine Week is only once a year, Clerks uphold government transparency with accurate recordkeeping and efficient reporting every day.  Clerks are committed to serving the public and maintaining access to records and information.  While Clerks provide a myriad of services for residents every day, granting records requests is among one of their greatest privileges.

In honor of the 16th annual Sunshine Week, our association, Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers, has posted an online directory of each county’s public records request process on www.flclerks.com. The page includes each office’s website, public records contact phone number, and a link to their specific policy, process or search page.