From The Daily Cortlandt:
CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The agendas and supporting documents for most government meetings will have to be posted online at least a day in advance, according to a bill that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law last week, as an amendment to New York’s Open Meetings laws.
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Read More… from More information available under new NY open government law
From OMB Watch:
The fiscal year 2012 spending package signed by President Obama on Dec. 23 included some good news for government transparency and right to know. Many of the worst provisions of the bill were removed from the final compromise, but open government advocates remain concerned.
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Read More… from Small wins for transparency in 2012 spending package
From Herald-Tribune:
SARASOTA — A director and manager in Sarasota's Information Technology Department have been placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into whether city officials deleted public records and accessed secret materials tied to an ongoing federal investigation.
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Keizer (Ore.) public records now easier to search
From Keizertimes:
The city of Keizer has unveiled a new public records retrieval system that is touted as saving thousands of dollars and more effectively serving residents.
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Read More… from Keizer (Ore.) public records now easier to search
In the UK, a Big Mac with extra FOIs
From BBC News:
The company has been consulted by the government about bringing its role in awarding qualifications under the Freedom of Information Act.
This is part of a wider debate on the blurring demarcation line between public and private responsibilities and how far a legal right for citizens to get access to information can intrude into the private sector.
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Naples think tank launches website revealing state and local salaries and spending
From naplesnews.com:
TALLAHASSEE — A Naples-based think tank unveiled today an open government website, a database of public spending that is perhaps the most comprehensive in the Sunshine State.
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Read More… from Naples think tank launches website revealing state and local salaries and spending
Federal court rules Justice adequately searched for records
From Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:
A U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. has ruled that while a federal agency must conduct an adequate search for records when responding to a federal Freedom of Information Act request, the agency is not necessarily required to search every system of records in its possession or contact other agencies that may have information relevant to the request.
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Read More… from Federal court rules Justice adequately searched for records
FOIA portal moving from idea to reality
From The FOIA Ombudsman:
Consider this: a multi-agency FOIA portal that automates FOIA processing and reporting, stores FOIA requests and responses in a repository and keeps records electronically. Not to mention allows requesters to submit requests to fewer government websites, track the status of requests and find, view and download FOIA requests and agency responses, all in a secure online environment.
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As journalists file fewer lawsuits, citizens fight for open records
From Poynter:
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in what could be a pivotal First Amendment case: the FCC v. Fox. What the Court decides will affect what we see on TV and hear on radio for years to come.
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Read More… from As journalists file fewer lawsuits, citizens fight for open records
NFOIC’s FOI Friday for January 6, 2012
A few open government and FOIA news items from the last couple days that we might not have drawn attention to earlier:
Expert: Anaheim records policy violates state law
The Anaheim Planning Department's records retention policy violates state law by asking employees to purge certain city records before they are old enough to be legally destroyed, Voice of OC's open-government consultant, Terry Francke, said Wednesday.
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