Florida is in grave danger of a historic retreat from the policies of open government that have made the motto "Sunshine State" a metaphor for something infinitely more important than tourism. Under cover of the massive education reorganization effort, some legislators are also proposing secret selection of university and junior college presidents and the next commissioner of education. This outrageous assault on Florida's open-government laws should be defeated not only for its own utter lack of merit but for the inviting precedent it would set for secret hiring in every agency of local as well as state government.

It also can be seen, of course, as another attempt to tighten the grip of Tallahassee politicians -- some of whom fancy presidential appointments -- on the state's higher education system.

Sponsors claim Florida's tradition of open-government, which voters enshrined in the state Constitution, scares candidates away from submitting their names. That's not true. Hundreds of respected academics have sought to run Florida's community colleges and universities. Disclosure levels the playing field, and gives the public -- notably students, parents and alumni -- the comfort of knowing the most qualified are selected. If anything has dampened the competition for Florida university presidencies, it's the uncertainty and apprehension caused by the Legislature's premature decision last year to abolish the Board of Regents without a plan for who would then run the universities.

The secret selection legislation (House Bill 1535 and Senate Bill 894) was drafted to throw a blanket over the presidential searches. Communities would be kept in the dark about the candidate pool. Women and minorities would not know whether their gender or race kept them from a job. Faculty leaders, who play a critical role in a university's success, and who deal with their president on a range of issues, from labor relations to accreditation, would have no voice or input in the selection process. Barring disclosure of a candidate's name helps only the politically connected.

The Senate admitted as much Thursday as it amended the bill to ready it for final action today. The compromise would require three finalists to be identified for each position, and all records and meetings concerning them would be open from that point. Further, the names and records of all the other candidates would become public three years later, so that the public could judge, even if belatedly, the integrity of the process. These came at the insistence of several senators, notably Sen. Rod Smith, D-Gainesville, whose district includes the University of Florida. Floridians owe them their thanks for trying to make the best of a bad bill.

But it is still not a good bill. It still signals a wholesale retreat from the fundamental principle of open government, and there's no assurance that even Thursday's compromise can be preserved. Some senators, for example, want the three years to be five.

Access delayed is access denied. The Senate should kill the legislation and let all candidates stand on their qualifications.

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