I recently saw a T-shirt that said, “Data is the new bacon.” And it certainly seems that way — everyone is hungry to find, acquire and consume data, and the market is answering the call.
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Read More… from Editorial: 4 simple steps to get government leaders on the ‘Data Diet’
Florida’s expansive open records laws have IT leaders preparing a new push to open up the state’s data.
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Read More… from Florida performs inventory ahead of open data push
No one who's paid any attention should be surprised that Oklahoma fared poorly in a nationwide study of government transparency. The fight for more openness throughout government has been ongoing for years.
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Read More… from Editorial: Making Oklahoma state government more transparent is an ongoing struggle
Members of the Texas Press Association this week named Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) a ‘Champion of Transparency.'
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Read More… from Texas Senator named ‘Champion of Transparency’
State Police have objected to a proposal to strengthen Massachusetts public records laws in meetings on Beacon Hill, the latest sign of government resistance to a measure designed to make documents more readily available to the public.
State Police Colonel Richard D. McKeon and a State Police lieutenant “expressed a number of concerns about the bill” in two meetings with House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo over the last four months, according to Seth Gitell, a DeLeo spokesman.
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Read More… from Massachusetts State Police take issue with tougher records law
In November 2014, Arkansas voters approved a ballot measure that, among other reforms, barred the state’s elected officials from accepting lobbyists’ gifts.
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Read More… from Only three states score higher than D+ in State Integrity Investigation; 11 flunk
It seemed like a silly question, but as the new guy, I was obliged to ask: “Can I e-mail a copy of my report to my mother?”
Mom had been a local reporter when I was a kid and worked for a county government in Ohio. She has always had a bottomless appetite for politics and government, and her retirement years afforded plenty of time to read. I figured she would find my first Congressional Research Service report interesting. I also thought she would be proud to see her son published by such a prestigious organization.
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Read More… from Where taxpayers pay ($100 million a year) but interest groups benefit
A D.C. government task force of officials and citizens on education no longer plans to meet in secret for two years as it develops recommendations for the mayor on the visible and sensitive subject of improved collaboration between schools in the two sectors, charters and DCPS.
The task force website wasn’t updated as of Sunday, still reporting “meetings will be closed to the public.” But officials let it be known this week they plan to change course.
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Read More… from D.C. Transparency Watch: Open government office scores victory
Beneath the soaring dome of Mississippi’s Capitol building, lights shine on a small bust of a blindfolded woman meant to portray “blind justice.” But she could just as easily represent the 3 million citizens of this deeply conservative Southern state, where transparency and accountability often seem like little more than abstract notions.
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Read More… from Transparency in Mississippi an abstract notion
Two recent bills signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown could help businesses grow by making troves of government data available online in easily accessible formats.
A panel comprised of leaders in the public and private sector spoke about the importance of open data Wednesday, applauding the two pieces of legislation signed last month, but agreeing there was more to accomplish. Continue…
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Read More… from New open data laws aid California businesses
