NFOIC – Page 187 – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Tennessee judge denies stay in Sumner schools open records case

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The Sumner County Board of Education must accept records requests via email and telephone by next week, according to a Tennessee Court of Appeals ruling Wednesday.

The school system requested a stay by the appeals court last month, which would have delayed the implementation of a new public records policy by March 1.

However, the court found “no grounds to reverse the trial court’s decision” regarding the request.

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Group: Massachusetts lawmakers’ open meeting exemption unconstitutional

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The Massachusetts Legislature’s exemption from the requirements of the state’s open meetings law is unconstitutional, a conservative-leaning think tank said Thursday.

Attorney General Maura Healey declined to wade into the dispute, however.

The Boston-based Pioneer Institute said the self-exemption restricts public access to certain legislative meetings and undermines the constitutional tenet that government be accountable for its actions.

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Missouri Supreme Court considers right to record Senate committee meetings

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The Missouri Supreme Court is weighing a lawsuit that accuses state senators of violating the Sunshine Law. Progress Missouri filed suit after being kicked out of Senate hearings on multiple occasions while videotaping proceedings.

The group's appeal to the state Supreme Court comes after the circuit judge of Cole County sided with the Senate. The high court heard arguments from both sides on Wednesday.

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Colorado database records bill dies, but stakeholders hope to work on a compromise

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Opposition from a state agency and several local governments Wednesday doomed proposed legislation intended to modernize Colorado’s open records law by requiring that public records kept in database formats be available to the public in similar formats.

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Facing criticism, New Jersey lawmaker may change bill shielding police video from public

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Facing scrutiny and criticism from civil rights and open government groups, a leading state lawmaker said Tuesday he was considering changes to proposed legislation that would shield police video and 911 recordings from the public.

"This is a work in progress," state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said of his bill (S788), which would exempt such recordings and transcripts from the New Jersey's Open Public Records Act, during a transparency forum hosted by the Bergen County chapter of the NAACP.

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A 21st-century open records law for Colorado

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When was the last time you used microfilm or microfiche to find information? Does the phrase “on-line bulletin board” bring to mind that screeching noise associated with dial-up connections from 20 years ago?

That’s how long it’s been since the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) was amended to ensure access to public records “kept only in miniaturized or digital form.” This section of the law, with its tech terms from the 1990s and earlier, is so antiquated and so nonspecific that it’s practically useless.

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Indiana Senate committee approves private college crime records bill

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Police departments operated by Indiana private colleges would remain exempt from following the same crime reporting requirements as other law enforcement agencies, including those serving public colleges, under a measure approved Monday by a Senate committee.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, was approved by the Civil Law committee on a 7-0 vote. It would require the University of Notre Dame and the 10 other private colleges in Indiana with police departments to comply with a limited number of provisions of the state's Public Records Act.

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Nebraska officials call for more transparency in bidding of future NU projects

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Some current and former elected officials are calling for more transparency in response to no-bid arrangements the University of Nebraska has used on some of its biggest construction projects.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, former Gov. Dave Heineman and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert were among those advocating for transparency and public bidding after an investigative report raised concerns about the university's handling of projects.

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Wisconsin open government advocates hit the road to boost understanding, use of open records laws

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Residents across Wisconsin are invited to free events exploring the importance of open records laws, and how to use them to obtain critical information about the actions of government.

The eight-city “Open Government Traveling Show” by open government advocates comes in the wake of unprecedented attacks on open records laws from state lawmakers and others.

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CJR: Here’s the backstory to a bill allowing Virginia police to keep officers’ names secret

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If you follow transparency and open-records news, you might have heard about what’s going on in Virginia, where the state Senate last week approved a bill to make the names and training files of law-enforcement officials “excluded from mandatory disclosure” under the state Freedom of Information Act.

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Author: NFOIC

Posts by NFOIC

Tennessee judge denies stay in Sumner schools open records case

Group: Massachusetts lawmakers’ open meeting exemption unconstitutional

Missouri Supreme Court considers right to record Senate committee meetings

Colorado database records bill dies, but stakeholders hope to work on a compromise

Facing criticism, New Jersey lawmaker may change bill shielding police video from public

A 21st-century open records law for Colorado

Indiana Senate committee approves private college crime records bill

Nebraska officials call for more transparency in bidding of future NU projects

Wisconsin open government advocates hit the road to boost understanding, use of open records laws

CJR: Here’s the backstory to a bill allowing Virginia police to keep officers’ names secret