|
A status report on FOIAonline
|
|
As you may know, OpenTheGovernment.org has been running a project that chronicles the experience of using FOIAonline as compared with other agencies’ processing systems. OpenTheGovernment.org offered a range of grades for FOIAonline and other agencies during a panel at “Transparency in the Obama Administration: A Fourth Year Assessment.”
|
|
 |
|
2013 International Open Data Day
|
 |
|
Anyone with an interest in open data is encouraged to come to the second Open Data Day Hackathon in Washing, D.C. on the International Open Data Day Feb 23, 2013. The hackathon is a gathering of citizens around the world to write applications, liberate data, create visualizations and publish analyses related to government data.
|
|
|
NMFOG urges public officials to use official email accounts
|
|
|
It has long been our understanding that a public record is a public record no matter where it is located—a filing cabinet in the office, an employee’s briefcase at home, and more in laptops, phones and in the cloud. But the principle of open government remains the same: to ensure that everyone is entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of government employees.
|
|
|
Email to FOI advocate highlights basics of access laws
|
|
|
Recently, NFOIC executive director Ken Bunting corresponded with the leader of a counterpart freedom of information non-governmental organization in the Republic of Georgia, who had made a general inquiry about “laws that regulate openness of government meetings” and applicable exemptions and exceptions. In this email response, civic-minded and engaged Americans may see little that is new. But perhaps, it will serve as a reminder about the derivation of some of our precious freedoms, and their importance.
|
|
|
Keep light on in Missouri Sunshine Law
|
|
|
Balancing our rights and our safety can be a tough job, but the state has an opportunity to do just that. The General Assembly will soon consider a recently expired provision of the Sunshine Law that prevented information that could compromise security from becoming public.
|
|
|
Wisconsin Supreme Court rules law firm legal bills are public records
|
|
|
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Star-Times in a public records dispute with Juneau County. In a 4-3 decision issued on Jan 8, the high court let stand a 2011 appeals court ruling that granted the newspaper full access to legal bills issued by a Milwaukee law firm and paid by the county’s insurer.
|
|
|
Virginia FOIA exemption plan draws strong criticism
|
|
|
Virginia’s exemption-filled sunshine laws could turn partly to mostly cloudy. A bill filed by Delegate Tag Greason, R-Lansdowne, would add the correspondence and working papers of taxpayer-supported legislative aides to the list of items the state can lawfully deny the public.
|
|
|
|
See the latest State FOIA Friday for FOI and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. The latest issue includes: Dangerous levees: How they got that story … Wyoming court rules in favor of public records in UW presidential search … South Dakota legislative committee kills two open government bills … Public records indicate Eastern Municipal Water District funding San Diego public relations campaign for Metropolitan Water District … Mississippi DMR agrees public entitled to agency records. Read more from the latest State FOIA Friday and be sure to check out our archives from Fridays past.
|
|
|
|
Check the events calendar for FOI, FOIA, open government and transparency goings-on. Upcoming events includes: NEFAC's 3rd Annual Stephen Hamblett First Amendment Award Luncheon, 2013 Ohio Newspaper Association Annual Convention, International Open Data Day 2013 Hackathon, Right to Information and Transparency in the Digital Age: Policy, Tools and Practices, 2013 Continuing Legal Education Seminar, and more.
|
|
About NFOIC
The National Freedom of Information Coalition protects our right to open government. We are a nonpartisan alliance of citizen-driven nonprofit freedom of information organizations, academic and First Amendment centers, journalistic societies and attorneys. Twice annually, NFOIC awards grants to strengthen state coalitions and member organizations, foster their growth, and support a broad range of open government endeavors in individual states. The NFOIC also administers the Knight FOI Fund, which offers financial support to defray costs and expenses in open government lawsuits throughout the year.
|
 
All membership dues and donations are tax-deductible.
|
|
|
|
|
101 Reynolds Journalism Institute | Columbia, MO 65211 US |
|
