From Patch.com: A legal battle in Illinois over a $20 parking ticket could potentially cost a Chicago suburb tens of millions of dollars — and fear that the case could have implications here is prompting many Milwaukee-area police departments to drastically clamp down on how much information they’re releasing to the public.
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Read More… from Police records no longer open in many communities
From Mondaq: Governmental entities in Texas, and the companies that transact with them, should be aware of new changes in Texas “open government” law that may affect how they do business. On September 1, 2013, changes in state law became effective that are intended to make Texas “open government” law more open. These changes affect the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) and the obligations of public officials, employees and private companies to comply with Texas open records law.
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From Boing Boing: Freedom of the Press Foundation has taken charge of the DeadDrop project, an open-source whistleblower submission system originally coded by the late transparency advocate Aaron Swartz. In the coming months, the Foundation will also provide on-site installation and technical support to news organizations that wish to run the system, which has been renamed “SecureDrop.”
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From Temple Daily Telegram: Following an early July visit to the Bell County Sheriff’s Department to get copies of new jail administrator Nancy Botkin’s personnel file as part of a Public Information Act request, in September I received a mailed letter from the Texas Attorney General’s office regarding certain information that the sheriff’s office had redacted.
The information that was requested, with certain redactions, was mailed on July 9, within 10 days of the information request.
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Read More… from Texas AG says some redacted info can be released
From CT News Junkie: A task force weighing the privacy rights of crime victims against open access to public records under the Freedom of Information Act will have its third and final public hearing Wednesday morning in the Legislative Office Building.
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From WVAH.com: West Virginia's highest court is scheduled to weigh arguments over whether state police are required to open their records on allegations of abuse and misconduct by officers.
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State police want to keep those details a secret. They argue releasing them would be an invasion of officers' privacy.
Visit WVAH.com for more.
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From The News Tribune: I guess I could understand one or two candidates failing to complete the questionnaire that seeks their views on open government issues facing the state.
The Washington Coalition for Open Government’s questionnaire is one of many that candidates receiving during campaign season.
But of the 15 Tacoma candidates the coalition sent invitations to, just two replied.
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Read More… from Tacoma candidates less than open with Washington Coalition for Open Government
From The Boston Globe: BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts lawmakers are weighing bills designed to make it easier for the public to obtain state records.
Among the bills are proposals to increase access to public records in an electronic format or over the Internet, rather than with paper copies.
Visit The Boston Globe for more.
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Read More… from Mass. lawmakers weighing public records bills
From World: Legal watchdog Judicial Watch has filed suit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) demanding the U.S. Department of Defense turn over all records of communications between Pentagon officials and controversial anti-Christian activist Mikey Weinstein.
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Read More… from Watchdog digs for info on anti-Christian Pentagon lobbyist
From Portage Daily Register: The First Amendment is very clear in its 45 words that it protects a “free press” along with our rights to religious freedom, free speech and the rights to assemble and petition.
But the founders, in effect, placed a responsibility on that free press in return for being the only profession named in the Bill of Rights: The news media were to be a “watchdog on government,” providing us with the facts, perspective and sometimes contrarian views that help citizens better chart the course of their government.
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Read More… from Gene Policinski: John Doe cast tests press freedom
