NFOIC – Page 437 – National Freedom of Information Coalition

First Amendment Foundation annual Sunshine Seminars approaching

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From First Amendment Foundation: It's that time again! FAF's annual Sunshine Seminars are just around the corner. These one day seminars provide an overview of Florida's public records and public meetings requirements in an informative and interactive format.

The seminars are helpful for anyone who uses public records as well as for agency employees who are required to stay current on the law. CLE credits from the Florida Bar are pending.

Dates and locations for the seminars:

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Battle to control public records requests heats up in Washington

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From Mercer Island Reporter: Those looking for a more transparent government are increasingly relying on public records to make it happen.

They hope the more documents they obtain, the clearer their view of what’s really going on behind closed doors in school districts, city halls and county buildings.

But there are those throughout the public sector convinced some of these Washingtonians are abusing the Public Records Act.

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Frank Gibson: Tennessee ‘sunshine’ dimmed by one watchdog’s assessment

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Opinion from Frank Gibson via The Leaf Chronicle: It will not come as news to anyone that Tennessee’s public meetings and open records laws fall in the lower ranks when compared to the open government laws of the other 49 states.

Now a new study by the Better Government Association that claims Tennessee’s separate government conflict of interest and whistleblower protection laws rank higher than our “sunshine” and public records (Freedom of Information) statutes.

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DOJ ordered to turn over documents in Ensign probe

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From TheHill.com: The Justice Department is being forced to hand over an index of every document amassed in its criminal investigation of former Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.).

The federal court decision will grant the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) watchdog group a broad list of what documents the DOJ possesses and the reasons why Justice is arguing to withhold them from the public.

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Cellphone companies say they don’t save text messages

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From News-Gazette.com: City Attorney Fred Stavins said that, even if they are public records, deleted text messages are impossible to recover, and the city's legal department provided The News-Gazette with its research to prove it.

In December 2012, city officials called around to various cellphone providers to determine how long those records are retained in the cell company's files.

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AT&T: No records are kept of customers' text messages — that data can only be accessed on a customer's phone.

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Dueling sides seek help of Iowa Public Information Board

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From The Des Moines Register: A new Iowa board may help resolve decades of tension between public records advocates and government officials.

On one side are officials who say that some Iowans have made dozens — even hundreds — of public records requests in recent years that have become so burdensome that at least one city office can’t function properly at times.

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Judge orders Utah Highway Patrol to share investigation into trooper

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From The Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Shawn Alton says his 2011 request to search a man’s SUV and trailer had the proper approval.

But court records show the Emery County attorney told Alton he didn’t have enough probable cause to search Jeffrey Lawrence’s vehicle two years ago on the side of Interstate 70.

Now it’s Lawrence with a court order — to dig around into what UHP did to investigate Alton and the unlawful search.

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Mackinac Center hosts town hall meetings on government transparency

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From the Mackinac Center for Public Policy: As part of its Open Government Initiative, the Mackinac Center in July and August hosted four town hall meetings around Michigan to help educate residents about the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings acts.

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Rogers County (Ok.) clerk accuses Progress reporter of harassment

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From Claremore Daily Progress: Rogers County Clerk Robin Anderson is accusing a Claremore Daily Progress reporter of harassing her and her staff in a confrontation over public records.

Anderson called the sheriff’s office on Aug. 14 to complain that reporter Salesha Wilken created a disturbance in her office that afternoon.

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Author: NFOIC

Posts by NFOIC

First Amendment Foundation annual Sunshine Seminars approaching

Battle to control public records requests heats up in Washington

Frank Gibson: Tennessee ‘sunshine’ dimmed by one watchdog’s assessment

DOJ ordered to turn over documents in Ensign probe

Cellphone companies say they don’t save text messages

Dueling sides seek help of Iowa Public Information Board

Judge orders Utah Highway Patrol to share investigation into trooper

Mackinac Center hosts town hall meetings on government transparency

Rogers County (Ok.) clerk accuses Progress reporter of harassment