National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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

Posts by NFOIC

University of Iowa failed to open letter from Freedom of Information Council

Posted on

University of Iowa officials say they weren't intentionally ignoring a letter from the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.

It's just that no one had gotten around to opening the letter until last weekend.

In a letter dated Dec. 30 and sent to the new university president, FOI Council Executive Director Randy Evans raised concerns about UI's refusal to release documents related to work done for the university by a company owned by former Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn.

[…]

Read More… from University of Iowa failed to open letter from Freedom of Information Council

DCOGC welcomes DC Council bill to improve open government laws

Posted on

DC Council members David Grosso and Mary Cheh Tuesday introduced a sweeping set of measures to improve open government laws in the District of Columbia. Council member Anita Bonds also cosponsored the bill, the “Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Government Amendment Act of 2016.”

[…]

Read More… from DCOGC welcomes DC Council bill to improve open government laws

Delaware lawmakers spar over charter school audit bills

Posted on

Two Delaware lawmakers have proposed dueling bills over how charter schools are audited after a string of high-profile incidents in which charter leaders were caught misusing taxpayer funds.

State Rep. Kim Williams, D-Newport, wants the state auditor to select and oversee the firms that do the annual financial reports of charter schools. Currently, charter school boards work out those contracts themselves.

[…]

Read More… from Delaware lawmakers spar over charter school audit bills

S.C. lawmaker proposes registry for journalists

Posted on

South Carolina Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens, filed a bill Tuesday to establish a “responsible journalism registry” to be operated by the S.C. secretary of state.

That bill’s summary says the bill would “establish requirements for persons before working as a journalist for a media outlet and for media outlets before hiring a journalist.”

[…]

Read More… from S.C. lawmaker proposes registry for journalists

NYPD Demands $36,000 “Copying Fee” for Access to Cops’ Body Cam Footage

Posted on

In April 2015, the New York City television station NY1 filed a open-records request for “unedited video files from the NYPD’s body camera program” captured during five specific weeks in 2014 and 2015. Four months later, the New York City Police Department agreed to review and release the footage—but only after NY1 paid a $36,000 “copying fee.” NY1 appealed the N.Y.P.D.’s decision and, in a letter dated September 16 of last year, was once again denied by the N.Y.P.D.’s deputy commissioner of legal matters.

[…]

Read More… from NYPD Demands $36,000 “Copying Fee” for Access to Cops’ Body Cam Footage

Editorial: Is The Internet Evolving Away From Freedom of Speech?

Posted on

Over the last two months I have written extensively on the many ways in which the evolving and globalizing world of the Internet is shifting away from being the flag bearer of free-for-all freedom of speech and towards a moderated commercial enterprise that must mediate among conflicting global standards on acceptable speech and online conduct. What does this mean for the future of the Internet?

[…]

Read More… from Editorial: Is The Internet Evolving Away From Freedom of Speech?

FEDERAL AGENCIES: Judges rebuke Obama admin’s arguments over private emails

Posted on

Federal judges don’t appear to be buying the Obama administration's arguments that a lawsuit seeking access a top White House official’s private emails should be tossed out.

Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rebuffed government attorneys' arguments today that they should uphold a lower court's dismissal of a case aimed at obtaining work-related emails kept by White House science adviser John Holdren on a private server.  Continue…

[…]

Read More… from FEDERAL AGENCIES: Judges rebuke Obama admin’s arguments over private emails

Corona, California: City launches open data site

Posted on

Diana Narahara, Corona’s finance manager, hovered her cursor over an online map of the city Thursday afternoon.

She paused at a blue arrow indicating the Foothill Parkway extension — one of many Capital Improvement Projects underway across Corona — and a terse description of the project, costs, and a breakdown of funding sources appeared. A couple of clicks later, Narahara was looking at individual payments made to vendors for the work.  Continue…

[…]

Read More… from Corona, California: City launches open data site

Bill would reveal Kentucky legislators’ state pensions, which are secret under current law

Posted on

The public could learn how much a state pension is worth to legislators under a bill unanimously approved Wednesday by a Senate committee.

Senate Bill 45 would require public disclosure of individual benefits for current and former legislators enrolled in the legislative pension system, the judicial pension system, the Kentucky Retirement Systems for state employees or the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System for educators.  Continue…

[…]

Read More… from Bill would reveal Kentucky legislators’ state pensions, which are secret under current law