National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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

Posts by NFOIC

Editorial: Disclosure on lump sum payments in Texas

Posted on

Lump sum payments from campaign and political action committees to consultants are blocking the public view of Texas campaign spending.

At the moment, the public is being asked to trust that these dollars have valid final destinations. That’s because they are simply reported, sometimes in six-figure amounts, as “consulting” or “consulting fees,” according to a recent San Antonio Express-News article.

[…]

Read More… from Editorial: Disclosure on lump sum payments in Texas

Editorial: Open data grows in 2015 (but not enough)

Posted on

As 2015 winds to a close, we can look back on a year of success stories and failures when it comes to transparency in government.

At the start of the year, the federal government began releasing its enterprise data inventories — comprehensive indexes of the data sets it collects — to the public. The move, which came in response to a Sunlight Foundation Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, was a major victory for government transparency.

[…]

Read More… from Editorial: Open data grows in 2015 (but not enough)

Report: New York’s regional councils lack transparency

Posted on

New York's regional council process that has awarded nearly $3 billion since 2011 for economic development lacks transparency and doesn’t adequately report on the outcome of various projects, according to a new report.

The report from the Citizens Budget Commission concluded that state hasn’t provided enough details to properly evaluate whether the 10 regional councils are creating jobs with the money doled out by the state.

[…]

Read More… from Report: New York’s regional councils lack transparency

Editorial: Pennsylvania bill that hinders transparency is not the way to protect police

Posted on

Thirteen days ago, lawmakers in the state House passed a bill to shield a police officer’s name when a firearm is discharged or he uses force while on duty — without defining what the “use of force” might include — unless the officer is charged with a crime.

[…]

Read More… from Editorial: Pennsylvania bill that hinders transparency is not the way to protect police

Appointees to key positions in Nevada remain little-known to taxpayers

Posted on

Nevada's Public Employees Retirement System, with more than $34 billion in assets, is overseen by a panel of seven public-sector workers appointed by the governor.

But as a recent nationwide report from the Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity pointed out, Nevada taxpayers don't know much about the individuals charged with managing the state retirement system for nearly all state and local government employees.

[…]

Read More… from Appointees to key positions in Nevada remain little-known to taxpayers

Many Virginia officials ignore state sunshine law

Posted on

State law might say some government records must be disclosed, but that's not the way many Virginia officials see things.

A statewide test by 13 newspapers to see what happens when Virginians ask about information that state law says officials must disclose shows the state's four-decade-old Freedom of Information Act is widely disregarded.

[…]

Read More… from Many Virginia officials ignore state sunshine law

Chattanooga plans effort to get rid of decades of stored records

Posted on

In the dim light of a smartphone, the lettering on the side of the 10-odd white storage boxes is faintly legible: "Confidential Medical Information. Medical Personnel Only." A few feet away, in this darkened corner of a storage warehouse on East Main Street, another box is labeled "Unpaid Parking Tickets." There are long cabinets with flat drawers — the label on one reads "TVA Project." Two mattresses sprawl incongruously nearby.

[…]

Read More… from Chattanooga plans effort to get rid of decades of stored records

Massachusetts public records bill gets mixed reviews

Posted on

Under a new bill, Massachusetts would join 47 other states that allow people to recoup legal fees after successfully suing for access to public records.

The legislature’s first move in more than 40 years to update the Massachusetts public records law is getting mixed reviews from some government transparency advocates.

[…]

Read More… from Massachusetts public records bill gets mixed reviews