INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mike Braun has appointed Brittney Long as Indiana’s Public Access Counselor, effective Oct. 5, 2026.
“Brittney has the legal credentials and passion for public service that makes her an excellent fit for the job,” Braun said in a statement Friday. “As our next PAC, Brittney will bring added transparency and accountability to our state.”
According to the governor’s office, Long has more than a decade of legal experience. She most recently served as deputy general counsel for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Before that, she was a magistrate in Bartholomew Circuit Court from 2022 to 2026, and from 2014 to 2022 she practiced at an Indianapolis law firm.
The appointment comes a day after The Cheat Sheet reported that current Public Access Counselor Jennifer Ruby had been told Thursday would be her last day on the job. The governor’s announcement did not mention Ruby or give a reason for the change.
Braun appointed Ruby on March 31, 2025. She succeeded Luke Britt, the longest-serving Public Access Counselor in state history, who stepped down that February. Under a 2024 change to state law, the Public Access Counselor serves at the pleasure of the governor.
Ruby’s office came under scrutiny this summer. In late July, a coalition of journalists and media organizations sent a letter saying the office was not meeting statutory requirements for issuing opinions and responding to complaints, and it threatened legal action. Braun’s office responded the same day by assigning additional staff to clear the backlog.
The Public Access Counselor issues advisory opinions on complaints under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act and Open Door Law.
