National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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

Posts by NFOIC

DC says releasing police body camera footage would come with challenge of blurring faces, protecting private information

Posted on

The debate is underway in D.C. over making footage from police body cameras public.

City officials say a big challenge is blurring out certain images which they view as private.

The proposal by the mayor's office to keep all footage private is meeting resistance with the president of the D.C. Police Union as well as several government watchdog groups. Continue>>>
====== 

[…]

Read More… from DC says releasing police body camera footage would come with challenge of blurring faces, protecting private information

Gov. Jack Markell blocks access to ‘secret’ email

Posted on

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has blocked an attempt by a lawmaker and a leading open government advocate to publicize the "secret" email address the governor uses to conduct public business.

But the governor's top lawyer acknowledged that Markell's pseudonym is among the "worst-kept secrets in state government," saying that members of the media, including The News Journal, have requested records from the account.

[…]

Read More… from Gov. Jack Markell blocks access to ‘secret’ email

Opinion: Andy Shaw: Don’t weaken Illinois Freedom of Information Act

Posted on

At the Better Government Association, we’re also following another “season”—the annual legislative session in Springfield.

As we head into the final innings, the box score indicates the General Assembly is playing “small ball” — moving ahead on bills aimed at eliminating a few more unnecessary units of government, expanding transparency, increasing civic engagement, and improving the criminal justice system.

[…]

Read More… from Opinion: Andy Shaw: Don’t weaken Illinois Freedom of Information Act

EDITORIAL: BLM blockade

Posted on

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management finally released some records related to last year’s Bundy ranch confrontation in Bunkerville. Considering the limited number and scope of documents provided to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, one of two scenarios is true: Either the BLM is so incompetent that it put no thought into the overdone cattle roundup and never analyzed the guns-drawn showdown that resulted, or it’s so arrogant and unaccountable that its leaders believe they can ignore the law.

[…]

Read More… from EDITORIAL: BLM blockade

Maryland legislature revamps public information law

Posted on

Obtaining documents from government agencies in Maryland is no simple task. The process typically involves filing a written request under the state's Public Information Act and waiting up to 30 days — but can also lead to disputes over photocopying fees, redacted details or outright denials.

Reporters, lawyers, nonprofits and others have long had only one way to resolve disputes: in the courts.

[…]

Read More… from Maryland legislature revamps public information law

Do municipal Facebook pages and comments count as public records?

Posted on

Social media pages like Facebook can be a valuable tool for municipalities or police departments in reaching its citizens, however, public entities should keep an eye on proper record keeping, experts said.

Public records, whether digital or not, must be retained for specific time periods so that the information can be requested through the Open Public Records Act.

[…]

Read More… from Do municipal Facebook pages and comments count as public records?

Dust-up over new FOIA exemption in cyber bill

Posted on

Cybersecurity legislation advancing in Congress could create the first brand-new exemption to the Freedom of Information Act in nearly half a century—a prospect that alarms transparency advocates and some lawmakers.

A bill approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee last month would add a new tenth exemption to FOIA, covering all "information shared with or provided to the Federal Government" under the new measure.

[…]

Read More… from Dust-up over new FOIA exemption in cyber bill

Ohio moves for unprecedented financial transparency

Posted on

Ohio is going to unprecedented levels with its new open government initiative. In a partnership with OpenGov, the state aspires to make all financial information available to the public – from all localities. The data will provide citizens with “checkbook-level spending data to every city, town, school district, and other local governing entity in the state – 3,962 of them in total,” OpenGov said in its announcement.

[…]

Read More… from Ohio moves for unprecedented financial transparency

Editorial: FOIA means freedom from overcharging

Posted on

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. In arguably Lincoln’s most memorable speech, the Gettysburg Address, he uttered the words, “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Government is designed to protect our communities, educate our children, and keep our air and water clean.

[…]

Read More… from Editorial: FOIA means freedom from overcharging