National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

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State Launches “Transparent Tennessee” Website

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Governor Bill Haslam on Thursday announced the launch of “Transparent Tennessee,” an overhaul of the state’s transparency website to offer more user-friendly information online to Tennessee taxpayers.

Transparent Tennessee is a one-stop shop for searching public data on how state dollars are spent. The site includes a searchable checkbook with more interactive data related to state agency expenses, vendor payments and travel reimbursements.

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State gets ‘F’ for lack of public info on medical care

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Connecticut is one of 41 states to earn a failing grade from health advocates for lacking public information about the quality of care provided by doctors.

"Consumers should be able to find out if their local primary care physician is delivering good quality care without having to go through hoops," said Francois de Brantes, executive director of the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute in Newtown, which published the report. "Connecticut has no public reporting of physician quality."

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Traveler’s View: National Park Service Needs To Improve Its Transparency

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It's not often that the Interior Department calls, and so when caller ID indicated it was someone in the department calling, I answered the phone. The funny thing about that call, though, was it was going on six years late in coming.

The caller worked in the Office of Inspector General's Freedom of Information Office. Back in November 2009, you see, the Traveler had filed a Freedom of Information Act request into how the National Park Service handled an investigation into alleged embezzlement from the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site.

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Editorial – Watson: On Presidents’ Day, Virginia’s transparency track record disgraces legacy

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More than two centuries ago, the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe established the cornerstones of this great commonwealth and the United States.

They built this commonwealth and nation understanding a fundamental principle — that without transparent and open government accountable to the people, those people cannot be free.

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Open Data, Open Government: Why & How

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Last time we checked in with Garrett Dunwoody, San Mateo County’s Open Data Manager, we talked about cybersecurity as it relates to open data for Cybersecurity Month. We also went over the definitions of open data and open government. Since then he has moved from the county’s Information Services Department and now works out of the County Managers Office on budget, performance, policy, and Open government initiatives. Today, we continue our conversation, but this time focusing on the why of open data and its relationship with open government.

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Judge rules R.I. Board of Education violated open government law

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A Superior Court judge ruled Friday that the state Board of Education violated an open government law for failing to properly respond to a petition by the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU and more than 15 other organizations filed suit to require the Board of Education to hold a public hearing on a requirement that links the NECAP test to high school graduation.

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City of Jackson (MI) may be first in state to provide open data to residents, businesses

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The days of turning in Freedom of Information Act requests for at least some Jackson city government information may soon be over. City officials along with University of Michigan School of Information students are working on an open data policy for city government which – if enacted – would be the first of its kind in Michigan.

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Speech must still be free on the Internet (via @TXFOIFT)

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The Internet has given us an explosion of information, commentary, communication and just plain word flow the likes of which have never been seen before. You’d think our democracy could handle it — and for the most part, it has.

Words on the Internet are not without restriction. Threats, bullying, reckless lies and fraud are just as wrong in cyberspace as they are in the real world. Still, serious questions and court fights have been raised about whether speech on the Internet is free speech.

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