National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

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Wapella holds FOIA distinction among Illinois state workers

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From pantagraph.com: WAPELLA — There was a time when Wapella, a town of about 552 people, was pretty well-known in the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

In 2012, the DeWitt County village was looking for guidance from the AG’s office after 408 Freedom of Information Act requests were filed by private citizens for the Village Board or the village itself. Some of the requests were denied by officials and sent to the AG’s office for a review of the rulings.

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Taos County officials say lunches only meals, not deals

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From Santa Fe New Mexican: TAOS — A quorum of the Taos County Commission meets regularly to have lunch, but commissioners insist that they discuss no county business.

County officials say the lunches are within the state’s sunshine laws, but an attorney with the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government told The Taos News he questions whether this is an ethical practice, and says it is teetering on the edge of illegal.

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Pa. state universities continue fight against more transparency

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From The Mercury: The four biggest taxpayer-funded universities in Pennsylvania continue to push back against proposed legislation that would give taxpayers to the right to know how hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year.

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Deborah Fisher named director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

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From The Republic: NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The former senior news editor at The Tennessean has been chosen to lead the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.

TCOG President Doug Pierce said the group is glad to have someone of Deborah Fisher’s experience and passion for open government as the coalition’s new executive director.

Visit The Republic for more.

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Despite ruling, Rockland clerk refuses to release public gun-permit data

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From The Journal News: The Rockland County clerk is refusing to release the names and addresses of non-exempt pistol permit holders, ignoring state law and a letter from the county’s top public records official ordering the records’ release.

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SF law firm weighs in on Sorenson decision

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From TheCalifornian.com: A San Francisco law firm is jumping on a local bandwagon asking the California Supreme Court to review an appellate court’s decision that would ultimately close all conservatorship hearings to the public.

In a Thursday amici letter to the Supreme Court, Duffy Carolan of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, argues the Sixth District Court of Appeals relied on a faulty understanding of the law to rule that all Lanterman-Petris-Short Act proceedings ought to be closed.

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NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for November 8, 2013

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From NFOIC:  A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.

Brevard corruption case morphs into public records battle

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Editorial: Farm Bill undermines FOIA

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From Rapid City Journal: House and Senate conferees are continuing to meet to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2013 Farm Bill. We received a copy of a letter to the conferees from the National Freedom of Information Coalition, calling attention to a provision in the House bill that would undermine the Freedom of Information Act.

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Media organizations ask the California Supreme Court to hear Californians Aware and Voice of OC’s case

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From Voice of OC: The Los Angeles Times, the corporate parent of the Orange County Register and the 800-member California Newspaper Publishers Association are urging the state Supreme Court to overturn a gag order obtained by Orange County that allows it to keep documents secret that show what top officials knew about alleged sexual abuse of female workers.

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Court records reveal terror suspect who escaped UK surveillance was suing UK authorities

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From The Washington Post: LONDON — A terror suspect who vanished after switching into women’s clothes at a London mosque is seeking damages from the British government for alleged complicity in torture and mistreatment, the U.K.’s High Court revealed Thursday.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, 27, evaded stringent government surveillance when he disappeared Friday wearing a burka. Police are still searching for him.

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