National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

Profile picture of NFOIC
Website
https://nfoic.org

Posts by NFOIC

Michigan governor to release more Flint water crisis emails, reports claim

Posted on

Gov. Rick Snyder said he will release his office's emails related to the Flint water crisis following calls from Democrats and open government advocates. 

Snyder's office announced the release Monday during meetings with the Detroit News and Free Press. The release will include documents dating back to 2011, before Flint changed to the Flint River as its source of drinking water.

[…]

Read More… from Michigan governor to release more Flint water crisis emails, reports claim

New records gained under legislative FOIL would likely be minimal in New York

Posted on

A provision in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal to fully subject the Legislature to the Freedom of Information Law would be unlikely to lead to a torrent of new records being made available to the public.

The idea has widespread support in the transparency community, but some advocates think the governor’s top priority should be ensuring that existing FOIL requirements imposed on the executive branch work as smoothly as possible.

[…]

Read More… from New records gained under legislative FOIL would likely be minimal in New York

County attorney to be prosecuted for allegedly violating Iowa’s open records law

Posted on

An Iowa state board has voted to prosecute the Des Moines County Attorney on accusations that she didn't turn over law enforcement records sought by relatives of a woman killed by a Burlington police officer. 

The Hawk Eye reports that the Iowa Public Information Board voted 4-2 at its meeting last week to pursue action against Amy Beavers, saying she violated Iowa's open records law last year by not giving copies of the records to the attorney for Autumn Steele's relatives.

[…]

Read More… from County attorney to be prosecuted for allegedly violating Iowa’s open records law

California bill would open access to police misconduct records

Posted on

Investigations into police shootings and other serious uses of force by law enforcement in California would be made public under new legislation.

Senate Bill 1286, announced Friday by state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, would also open access to findings of officer misconduct or job-related dishonesty. Law enforcement personnel records are strictly protected in California.

[…]

Read More… from California bill would open access to police misconduct records

[Op-ed] Senator: Time to modernize Colorado Open Records Act

Posted on

It is time to modernize the Colorado Open Records Act, or CORA, to ensure the public can access government records in digital formats that allow them to understand and analyze the contents of these public records. 

The public must have access to such records to hold their governments accountable and to promote greater transparency, civic engagement and public trust.

[…]

Read More… from [Op-ed] Senator: Time to modernize Colorado Open Records Act

Utah bill striking two-week wait on vote counts already on governor’s desk

Posted on

Utahns will likely no longer have to wait two weeks to find out election results in tight races.

HB21, a bill requiring clerks to update vote counts between Election Day and the official canvass, has already sailed through both the House and the Senate with overwhelming approval.

[…]

Read More… from Utah bill striking two-week wait on vote counts already on governor’s desk

Utah bill advances to help fee waivers for open records requests

Posted on

Obtaining fee waivers for open records requests may be more likely under a bill that the Utah House passed Thursday.

Representatives approved HB63 on a 68-2 vote and sent it to the Senate.

Its sponsor, House Democratic Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, said Utah's open-records laws now allow and encourage state and local agencies to waive fees for requests if they determine them to be in the public interest. Continue…

[…]

Read More… from Utah bill advances to help fee waivers for open records requests