Government transparency and the public right to know is a standard to which we hold public officials accountable. Recent examples in Pennsylvania illustrate the consequences when that standard is not upheld. Earlier this month, the discovery that the Pennsylvania Department of State had failed to publicly advertise a proposed constitutional amendment referendum to extend legal recourse for victims of sexual abuse resulted in the amendment proposal becoming ineligible for a statewide ballot. The error set back the amendment process by more than a year. The administrative oversight caused then-Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to resign and caused victims of childhood sexual assaults renewed pain at the delay in justice. The error, discovered by SpotlightPA reporting, was a painful example of the damage caused by failing to adhere to the rules of public notice.