Boulder Daily Camera: A bill that sanctions secrecy in government has passed through the Colorado House of Representatives and will soon be heard in the state Senate. House Bill 21-1051, referred to as the sole finalist bill, rewrites open government statutes, allowing our public institutions to hide the names of finalists reaching the top tier of consideration for the most powerful leadership positions in education, city management and more.

It’s a solution in search of a problem.

Currently, our state’s open meetings law requires “the list of all finalists under consideration” for a chief executive position be made public two weeks prior to filling the position. Public institutions, such as the University of Colorado, when searching for a president, must disclose the names and applications of finalists, which for anyone who has attended a third grade talent show knows, finalist refers to an individual among a group of contestants vying for the prize. But this bill would have us believe in an alternative universe where finalist could mean the last person standing and the only one offered the job.

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