National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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The Udall FOundation on Open Government

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The Udall Foundation was established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 as an independent executive branch agency to honor Morris K. Udall's lasting impact on this nation's environment, public lands, and natural resources, and his support of the rights and self-governance of American Indians and Alaska Natives (P.L. 102-259).

The Open Government Directive, issued by the Office of Management and Budget in 2009, directed all executive branch departments and agencies to take specific actions to achieve transparency, including the publication of information online.

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Letters: Government shouldnít be afraid of transparency

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Jason Grumet argued in ìGovernment wilting from the sunshineî [Washington Forum, Oct. 2] that transparency measures such as open meetings and records laws have a 'dark side,' one that is presumably responsible for the 77 percent of Americans who do not trust their government most of the time. Perhaps the fact that Congress has exempted itself from the Freedom of Information Act and has no requirements to hold all meetings in public might contribute to the mistrust that troubles Mr. Grumet.

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Editorial: This Right-to-Know bill may set back transparency in PA

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A bill before the state House of Representatives aims to mend gaps in Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know law. It actually may do more harm than good.

The bill was passed by the Senate on Sept. 24. Including today, there are six days left in the legislative session, and Senate Bill 444 is now before the House. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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State Public Information Board inundated with cases

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Sitting in a modestly furnished conference room in the Wallace Building, with a bay window view of the State Capitol behind him, Bill Monroe reflects on the workload he expected in the first year with the state's Public Information Board.

The board was created by the state to handle complaints and violations related to open meetings and open records laws, and Monroe has served as its chairman from its inception in 2012, including the first year when it had no funding.

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State Tax Department worker researched GOP official who filed FOIL request

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A state tax official conducted a background research on a Republican party official after receiving a public information request, the Daily News has learned.

Without mentioning his job, Joe Uddo, who is the political director for the state GOP, had filed a ìFreedom of Information Law' request on Aug. 22 with the tax department seeking to understand why some taxpayers had been disqualified from a property tax exemption program.

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The Secret to Making Tough Fiscal Choices: Open Government

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Many people continue to be surprised that the voters of San Jose, Calif., a city with twice as many Democrats as Republicans, approved a public-pension-reform ballot measure in June 2012 with a nearly 70 percent yes vote. How is this possible in liberal California, despite stringent objections from public-employee unions?

Two words: open government.

Before the vote, San Jose experienced 10 years of cutting services to balance the budget. Thousands of city jobs were eliminated. Layoffs included police officers and firefighters.

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OU student’s lawsuit seeks campus parking ticket data

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Part of the college experience in Norman is the daily fight for a place to park. With more cars than parking spots, the university hands out tens of thousands of parking tickets.

Data from the University shows the school gave nearly 60,000 parking tickets last year—bringing in nearly a million dollars in fines alone.

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Edward Snowden, spying on citizens and freedom of the press: A conversation with Alan Rusbridger

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Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the National Security Agency's secret surveillance of U.S. citizens. Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of the British news organization The Guardian, made sure the world heard it.

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Ebola in America: Government Can Lock Us Up for Weeks at a Time

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Thomas Duncan, a 42-year-old Liberian citizen, is in serious condition with Ebola in a Dallas hospital. His partner Louise is confined to the Dallas apartment where Duncan became very sick from the virus. Texas health officials have placed her, one of her children, and two nephews in their 20s, under quarantine. This means they have been ordered, under threat of prosecution, by the county not to leave their home or have any contact with outsiders for 21 days. Any exception requires the approval of the local or Texas state health department.

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