President’s Letter

Government transparency laws and the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment are foundational to an open and free society. Not just lofty ideals, these are the tools that citizens rely on to hold government accountable and to safeguard democracy.

As an attorney who has dedicated much of my career to defending government transparency, I understand that these tools cannot be taken for granted; they must be vigorously defended. And that is the charge of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation—the only Georgia nonprofit exclusively focused on championing open records and open meetings.

GFAF volunteers are on the frontline at the state Capitol each year, arguing for the public’s right to know. We educate local officials on the nuances of the Georgia Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act and offer resources for you to put the law to work to hold your government officials and agencies accountable. Here is a sample of recent noteworthy efforts GFAF has undertaken to protect and safeguard Georgia’s transparency laws and First Amendment freedoms.

• We joined a national press freedom coalition demanding the release of Mario Guevara, a Georgia journalist arrested and detained by ICE while covering a protest, underscoring the urgent need to defend press freedom against government overreach.
• Our attorneys filed legal briefs supporting a lawsuit challenging the city of Sandy Springs police department’s practice of redacting readily accessible public information from arrest reports—a clear violation of the public’s right to know.
• During the 2025 legislative session, we monitored roughly two dozen bills with implications for open government, digital freedom, free speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. And we testified before multiple legislative committees, making sure lawmakers understood the constitutional stakes of their proposals.
• In the Georgia Supreme Court, we argued for lawful public access to records held by individuals who are both contractors and employees of government agencies, resisting attempts to narrow the public’s right to information through technical loopholes.

For more than 30 years, GFAF has fought for government transparency in Georgia in cities, counties, and across state agencies. We defend the rights of peaceable protesters in an increasingly risky time for public demonstrators. We deliver training sessions to public officials and journalists. We ensure lawmakers understand the real-world implications their proposals would have on First Amendment freedoms and government transparency. And we help members of the public take advantage of Georgia’s open records and open meetings laws.

At the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, we believe the law must work for the people, not against them. We use every tool at our disposal, from litigation to education to advocacy, to ensure that it does. We’d love for you to join us—to support our critical mission. Become a member. Make a donation. Attend one of our events. We need your help to preserve the rights of all Georgians.

Join the fight for government transparency now.

Sincerely,

Sarah Brewerton-Palmer

Georgia First Amendment Foundation