The Public’s Right to Information

Section 1: An informed electorate being critical to the health and survival of democratic government, no person disseminating information to the public at large shall be compelled to reveal any source of information or documentation alleging a violation of law or regulation, abuse of power or position, or act against the public good, nor shall any such person supplying or disseminating such information as described here suffer prosecution under any statute or definition of espionage.

Section 2: No person deemed a possible source of information or allegation obtained by the press, or otherwise disseminated to the public at large, alleging a violation of law or regulation, abuse of power or position, or act against the public good shall be asked, compelled, or coerced to waive confidentiality, and any attempt to do so shall be a felony punishable as prescribed in Section 9.

Section 3: Acts of retaliation taken against any person invoking these rights, or against their employer or supporters, shall be a felony punishable by maximum-security incarceration for a term, not subject to pardon, suspension, commutation, parole, or other reduction of sentence, of at least ten years

Section 4: Except as pertains to true issues of national security, subject to federal judicial review and confirmation, no official or employee of government at any level, nor any vendor or consultant thereto, shall be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement as a condition for hiring, transfer, or promotion, or as a condition of benefits upon retirement. This provision shall not apply to legal staff bound by attorney-client privilege, or to those involved in the negotiation of contracts during the term of the negotiation.

Section 5: No claim of secrecy invoked by government in furtherance of national security shall prevent the inspection by a court of competent jurisdiction of all materials the government wishes to deny plaintiffs or defendants for the purposes of determining the validity of the government’s assertion. No claim of state secrets itself alone shall be sufficient to prevent an action for remedy at law.

Section 6: Except as may apply to proceedings involving juveniles, neither Congress nor the States shall pass any law, and no court shall issue any order, preventing the live audio and visual dissemination of any proceeding, or permanent preservation by private parties of records of said proceedings, and any attempt to do so shall constitute a felony punishable by maximum-security incarceration for a term, not subject to pardon, parole, commutation, or other reduction of sentence, of at least five years.

Section 7: Concentration of media in the hands of an elite few being contrary to the public good, no person or entity shall own or control more than one entity engaged in the dissemination of news by electronic, digital, print, or other means in any geographical area comprising a market as determined by Act of Congress. Nor shall any person or entity own, or control the news or informational programming of more than ten such entities on a national basis.

Section 8: The free exchange of ideas and information being critical to the effective functioning of the republic, the internet, and such future technologies as may supplement or replace it, shall be delivered either as a service of municipal government or as a public utility, without discrimination in any way as to speed of service, cost of service, or ease of access to content.

Section 9: Violation of Sections 2 or 3 shall be a felony punishable by mandatory incarceration for a period of not less than ten years. Violation of Section 6 shall be a felony punishable by mandatory incarceration for a period of not less than five years. All sentences provided for herein shall be served in a maximum-security facility and not subject to pardon, suspension, commutation, parole, or other reduction of sentence. Conviction or plea of guilty shall result in the forfeiture of all pension benefits accrued while in public office or employment.