INDIANAPOLIS -- The office of Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced on Friday that Braun has appointed the state's new public access counselor. According to a news release from Braun's office, Jennifer Ruby has been appointed as Indiana's public access counselor, a role that provides advice and assi stance surrounding the state's public access laws to members of the public, government officials and state employees. The release said that the public access counselor helps respond to public inquiries, educates citizens about public access laws, issues advisory opinions, assists state officials in complying with public access law and makes recommendations to the Indiana General Assembly on how to improve access to state and local government. Braun signs order, requiring departments to publicly report permitting data “Transparency for Hoosiers is important for a healthy state government, and Jennifer Ruby brings decades of legal expertise to serve Hoosiers as (the state's) public access counselor," Braun said in the release. "She will do a great job promoting public trust through transparency and accountability." Officials said Ruby is an attorney and mediator who has built her legal practice in Indianapolis for more than 20 years. The release said that Ruby has served the states of Indiana and New Mexico, as well as the consolidated city of Indianapolis and Marion County. “I’m honored to be selected by Governor Braun to serve as Hoosiers’ public access counselor and uphold the values of government transparency and accountability," Ruby said in the release. "Public access is essential for effective governance, and I look forward to serving our state in this role." For more information about Indiana's public access counselor, click here. ...read more read less