National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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

Posts by NFOIC

Arkansas AG: Electronic files considered ‘in storage’ under FOI law

Posted on

In an advisory opinion last week, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge addressed a question about the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act that the attorney general’s office had never been asked before, and her answer has drawn some criticism.

The question, posed by state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Benton, concerned what constitutes “storage” when it comes to digital files on a computer or cell phone.

[…]

Read More… from Arkansas AG: Electronic files considered ‘in storage’ under FOI law

Maryland hiring ombudsman for public records controversies

Posted on

Wanted: Public records expert with a willingness to jump into fights between the news media and government officials.

Maryland's attorney general is now hiring an ombudsman to mediate disputes over access to public information, a post that was created by lawmakers but had been unfilled.

[…]

Read More… from Maryland hiring ombudsman for public records controversies

New Mexico library joins GPO program as all-digital member

Posted on

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has designated The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), a land-grant institution of higher learning in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the newest all-digital member of GPO’s Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The Institute will provide patrons with digital-only access to federal government publications at no cost.

[…]

Read More… from New Mexico library joins GPO program as all-digital member

Iowa’s judicial branch flunks transparency survey

Posted on

Iowa’s Judicial Branch flunked a recent transparency and accountability study because of barriers to public access to information, a lack of legal requirements for judicial evaluations and concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Those concerns include limited access to judicial officers’ asset disclosures, which can reveal potential conflicts of interest and which aren’t audited for accuracy, and a lack of restrictions on judges returning to the private sector after serving on the bench.

[…]

Read More… from Iowa’s judicial branch flunks transparency survey

Proposed 2016 bill would open records of nonprofits serving people with disabilities

Posted on

Prompted by the recent financial troubles of a nonprofit that serves people with disabilities, a state lawmaker plans 2016 legislation to open the records of all such agencies in Colorado that receive more than half their funds from public sources.

Sen. Irene Aguilar said Rocky Mountain Human Services and similar nonprofits should be covered by the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) so that local governments and the public can be confident that the limited amount of money available for programs to help vulnerable populations is spent appropriately.

[…]

Read More… from Proposed 2016 bill would open records of nonprofits serving people with disabilities

Tennessee school district to appeal judge’s ruling

Posted on

Sumner County Schools will go back to court to fight a judge's ruling that would force the board of education to accept records requests from the public by email and telephone.

School board members voted unanimously on Dec. 1 to appeal the case in which Ken Jakes of Joelton sued after a school official denied his request to view a document because he didn't ask for it in person or in a letter delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

[…]

Read More… from Tennessee school district to appeal judge’s ruling

Student reporter gets $8,000 FOIA bill from school district

Posted on

The Freedom Of Information Act is not free – a high school journalist submitted a FOIA request and got a bill for nearly $8,000.

It was a tough lesson for budding journalist Chris Robbins who wasn't going to let that bill stop him from getting the truth.

Robbins didn't think it would be so hard to get the information.

"No, definitely not," he said.

[…]

Read More… from Student reporter gets $8,000 FOIA bill from school district

Lawmakers question public boards’ openness and transparency

Posted on

How transparent should a public university governing board be?

Politicians in a number of states, who often say they’re responding to concerns from constituents, have been calling for appointed or elected governing boards of their public colleges, universities and systems to be more open, particularly when it comes to public meetings.

[…]

Read More… from Lawmakers question public boards’ openness and transparency

South Carolina bill would change release of police dash cam videos

Posted on

South Carolina's chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants a new system for making public police dash cam videos to prevent unnecessary delays.

The bill by Sen. Larry Martin of Pickens would require that all law enforcement dash cam videos are releasable under the state Freedom of Information Act but their release could be delayed if prosecutors and law enforcement seek an injunction after convincing a judge, who could conduct a private review of the video.

[…]

Read More… from South Carolina bill would change release of police dash cam videos