National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

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MN: Freedom-of-information activist wins legal fight with county

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minneapolis freedom-of-information activist has claimed victory in his long-running legal battle to see emails from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office pertaining to biometric technologies. The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday largely backed Tony Webster, who said the county violated Minnesota’s open records law when it denied him access to […]

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Bluegrass Institute: 2018 revision to Open Meetings Law — A misstep in the right direction

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One day before the now famous Senate effort to quietly undermine Kentucky’s Open Records Law by redefining the term “public record” to exclude “emails, texts or calls on devices paid for entirely with private funds and which do not involve government email accounts,” efforts were underway in the House to modify the Open Meetings Law […]

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EPA checking if all of Pruitt’s email accounts were included in FOIA responses

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The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing all of its Freedom of Information Act responses under Administrator Scott Pruitt to ensure that they included all four of Pruitt’s email accounts. Steven Fine, the EPA’s deputy chief information officer, told Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., in a letter released Thursday that the agency’s […]

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Broward judge authorizes release of more video from outside Parkland school shooting

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A Broward judge on Wednesday authorized the public release of more video from cameras positioned outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during February’s mass shooting. The video may shed more light on the law enforcement response to Nikolas Cruz’s Feb. 14 rampage, during which he shot 17 to death and wounded 17 others. Attorneys for the Broward School Board […]

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Minnesota Supreme Court: Hennepin County illegally kept records from public

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Hennepin County violated state open records laws by failing to comply promptly with a request for information on the sheriff’s use of biometric technology, the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled in a case tracked by government watchdogs, law enforcement and the media. In August 2015, open government crusader Tony Webster requested information about Sheriff Rich […]

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Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission to Re-appoint chief after open meetings law violations

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MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission will have to re-appoint Alfonso Morales as Milwaukee police chief. The City Attorney’s Office found the commission violated open meetings law by not giving proper notice that the issue would be heard during its meeting on April 5. Alderman Terry Witkowski is accusing the commission of making […]

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Senator wants info on EPA chief’s multiple email accounts

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of a Senate oversight committee is pressing the head of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide details about his use of multiple government email addresses. Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso issued a letter asking EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to disclose all his email addresses and affirm […]

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Missouri House moves to strengthen open records law

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill that would beef up the state’s open records law. The proposal would essentially give the attorney general’s office subpoena power when investigating open records violations. Attorney General Josh Hawley has publicly supported the bill, and previously said his inability to […]

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D.C. Council Budget Hearing Ignores Troubling Developments Affecting the Office of Open Government

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The D.C. Open Government Coalition testified Friday (13) against proposed budget cuts for the Office of Open Government and in favor of a separate board of directors. OGC Government Affairs chair Bob Becker reviewed these and other problems but only the budget came up in questions, and that only briefly.  The hearing was before the […]

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