Sunshine laws take a beating Until recently, citizens have been able to get public records through a state agency's director or public information officer. That changed Sept. 13. Why should the public even care? Because most citizens can't take the time to drive to Montgomery to view public records. When citizens seeking public records can't get them in a timely manner because of government stonewalling, everyone loses. Alabama's "sunshine" law says that "every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute." The law says nothing about reporters, or any other citizens, having to wait six months or more to be able to see the public records they requested.