NFOIC – Page 412 – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Mississippi auditor wants secret court proceedings in public records case; Sun Herald objects

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From Sun Herald: State Auditor Stacey Pickering has sent a secret memorandum to the judge in a public records lawsuit filed by the Sun Herald, but the newspaper objects to any consideration of the document.

Chancery Court Judge Jennifer Schloegel declared DMR records the auditor seized in January are public and must be copied for the Sun Herald. However, Auditor Stacey Pickering whisked off the records to Jackson, under federal grand jury subpoena, before the judge’s orders could be followed.

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First deadline in Delaware chancery’s ‘secret’ arbitration lawsuit passes without action

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From DelawareOnline.com: Attorneys for the Delaware Court of Chancery have let one appeal deadline pass without acting in the lawsuit over the court’s “secret” arbitration program that two federal courts have declared unconstitutional.

Attorney Lawrence Hamermesh, who is representing the Chancery Court, declined to comment today on whether the state plans to appeal the case directly to the U.S. Supreme Court or will abandon both an appeal and the confidential arbitration system.

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Pa. open records law faces legislative changes

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From NBC Philadelphia: Right-to-know requests from a private citizen recently uncovered an alarming lack of accountability and oversight in the finances of the Oley Valley School District.

Among the findings were vague bookkeeping methods, unchecked lines of credit at area stores without district officials’ knowledge and bills for meals at upscale restaurants not being filed properly.

Visit NBC Philadelphia for more.

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County recorder: FOIA a burden on local government

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From pantagraph.com: BLOOMINGTON, Illinois — The state law that makes public records accessible to people has created a burden on government staff and misses its intended goal, according to one McLean County elected official.

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State ethics opinion sought in records denial

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From The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal: TUPELO – The Daily Journal has requested an advisory opinion from the Mississippi Ethics Commission after the city of Tupelo denied an open records request for emails between Mayor Jason Shelton and former city Development Services Director BJ Teal.

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Fisher becomes executive director of open government group

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From Tennessee Coalition for Open Government: NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government has named Deborah Fisher as its new executive director.

The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational organization begun 10 years ago to preserve, protect and improve citizen access to public information and open government in Tennessee.

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Opinion: State often keeps public in dark

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From Boston Herald: Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis praised the sunlight of public scrutiny as “the best of disinfectants.” The dark and dusty corners of Massachusetts government need far more sunshine.

The commonwealth enacted its public records law in 1966, the same year Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act. While the world looks very different than it did in the age of LBJ and Gov. John Volpe, our public records law becomes more antiquated each year, leaving far too many avenues for officials to avoid disclosure.

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Tennessee open records advocates fear impact of court ruling

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From commercialappeal.com: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Transparency advocates are warning about the ramifications of a recent Tennessee appeals court ruling that “high government officials” can keep documents secret if they deem them part of their decision-making process.

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Residents complain electronic devices close open meetings

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From The Marietta Daily Journal: MARIETTA — Elected leaders across Georgia have been using smartphones and iPads for city business, helping them work smarter and more efficiently, they say.

But when they tap out a message to a fellow board member during a meeting, some residents have complained that they feel locked out of a business meeting that is supposed to be open to the public.

Visit The Marietta Daily Journal for more.

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Author: NFOIC

Posts by NFOIC

Mississippi auditor wants secret court proceedings in public records case; Sun Herald objects

First deadline in Delaware chancery’s ‘secret’ arbitration lawsuit passes without action

Pa. open records law faces legislative changes

County recorder: FOIA a burden on local government

State ethics opinion sought in records denial

Fisher becomes executive director of open government group

Opinion: State often keeps public in dark

Tennessee open records advocates fear impact of court ruling

Residents complain electronic devices close open meetings