Former Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt speaks to the Bloomington Press Club at the Monroe County Public Library’s southwest branch May 28, 2025. (Alaina Davis)
Former Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt said this week he stepped down after realizing his influence in the position was waning. That inflection point became apparent due to legislative changes to the office’s authority.
“I always said that if I got to a point where my voice was becoming less effective, it was time for me to step down and let somebody else come into the role,” Britt said at a press club event at the Monroe County Public Library’s southwest branch in Bloomington. “For me, it was just kind of a gradual realization.”
Britt, first appointed in 2013 by then-Gov. Mike Pence, served under three administrations and became Indiana’s longest-tenured public access counselor.
Shortly after his resignation in February, state lawmakers passed legislation stripping the office of its ability to issue formal legal opinions; a move Britt suggested was politically motivated.
“I don’t want to speculate on lawmakers’ motivations,” he said. “But I have my theories as to which opinions they found noxious—and they were all based not on the law, and not the opinion as written, but on the political ideology behind it.”
Now working as a public information officer and legal counsel for Marion County Superior Courts, Britt said he remains committed to the principles of transparency, which he described as an ongoing and imperfect pursuit.
“You never have complete, clear transparency,” he said. “It always rolls back a little — but you’ve got to keep pushing.”
While he acknowledged setbacks, Britt said the majority of public officials were open to collaboration during his time in office.
“Good government means showing your work,” Britt said. “You won’t please everyone, but you can prove you took the right steps.”
Related: Indiana's public access counselor leaves as new law shapes office's future
