An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that FOIA requests cost the federal government more than $461 billion last year, and $392 billion in 2009. The correct figures are $461 million and $392 million, respectively.
The backlog of Freedom of Information Act requests grew for the second straight year. But the 70 percent spike in unprocessed FOIA requests easily dwarfs any year-to-year increase over the last half decade.
[…]
Deficiencies in the city’s public records process stem from inefficient processes, a lack of understanding of open records laws by citizens and city employees, and “a growing distrust between the public records staff at various levels of city government and the local media,” according to a new report.
In 2009, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton issued an executive order to make city government more transparent, "based on the understanding that the city of Memphis belongs to the public and to achieve the open government we desire and the public deserves."
[…]
Read More… from Report: Memphis Open Records Policies Need Work
Shortly after his re-election to a second term last November, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy joined a number of state officials and legislative leaders in signing a Freedom of Information Pledge for open government.
This document affirms that “a successful democracy requires open, transparent, and accountable government,” and those who penned their names promised to support the independence of the state FOI Commission.
[…]
Read More… from Opinion: Slamming a door in the face of open government
In a scathing critique of the Defense Department's efforts to curb sexual assaults, a U.S. senator warned Monday that the true scope of sex-related violence in the military communities is "vastly underreported" and that victims continue to struggle for justice.
[…]
When the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revised its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations last month, it adopted language that might inflate requesters’ FOIA costs across all agencies. Fortunately, its rule is not the final word on what a requester lawfully can be charged to compel prompt disclosure of unclassified federal records.
Legislative background and hierarchy
[…]
Read More… from Opinion: Making dollars and sense of DOJ’s new FOIA fee rule
State Treasurer Dennis Milligan has responded to recent news reports on events during his campaign for office by claiming that the emails that are the basis of the reports cannot be verified because his campaign deleted all its emails after the election.
[…]
Read More… from Some question Arkansas email deletion policies
An ongoing disagreement between the Daily Press and the state Supreme Court effectively illustrates both the value and limitations of Virginia's Freedom of Information Act.
The state Freedom of Information Advisory Council, which mediates disputes over the law, recently sided with the newspaper that a compilation of case information maintained by the court should be available to the public.
[…]
Read More… from Editorial: Let’s demand accountability from our courts
A secret, secondary email address used by Delaware Governor Jack Markell has some lawmakers crying foul.
Over the course of more than six years in office, Delaware Governor Jack Markell has maintained two public email addresses: Jack.Markell@state.de.us and Governor.Markell@state.de.us. But it's a third, secret email that has caused raised eyebrows in Dover in recent weeks.
[…]
Florida is famous for its sunshine.
But in West Palm Beach, when it came to training city officials in the state’s Government-in-the-Sunshine law on April 24, the session took place out of the sunshine.
[…]
Read More… from West Palm officials meet privately about open-government law
Early in April we received word that the Sheriff had conducted interviews for the open secretarial position due to the retirement of the previous secretary.
In the interview process, the Sheriff invited Nanette Crippes, Edgar County Emergency Telephone System Director, “ETSB”, and Nancy Zeman, part-owner of the Prairie Press weekly paper, to assist in interviewing the candidates.
[…]
Read More… from Edgar Co. Sheriff not answering FOIA requests
