In Middleton, the Board of Selectmen was accused of setting the town’s tax rate while its meeting was in recess. In Marblehead, the Board of Health has discussed a key issue in secret for a year and a half. In Wenham, a resident says she was in the bathroom when she overheard Planning Board members […]
Read More… from Massachusetts: Citizens cry foul on violations of open meeting law
If your doctor, social worker or therapist has violated professional standards, you have a right to that information under the open records law. But that could change under a bill before the state Senate. The purpose of the 269-page bill is a reorganization of Kentucky’s licensing boards. But the bill also includes new language allowing […]
Read More… from Bill In Kentucky Senate Could Keep Doctor Discipline Secret
Language in a document connected to the omnibus spending bill urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase public access to inspection reports of animal breeders and other facilities after the agency, citing privacy concerns, rolled back access to the information. The USDA removed inspection reports from a public database last February, leading to criticism […]
Read More… from Congress pushes USDA to reinstate public animal inspection reports
COLUMBUS — State auditors issued 321 public records-related citations to 267 public entities in calendar year 2017 – a 22 percent drop in citations from the prior year. Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost made the announcement as part of Sunshine Week, a nationwide initiative designed to raise awareness of the importance of open government […]
Read More… from Ohio State auditors issue 321 citations for 2017 public records violations
NEWS RELEASE March 23, 2018 Contact: Daniel Bevarly • 239.823.1811 dbevarly@nfoic.org Recent legislative actions in Kentucky, Iowa and Washington demonstrate urgent need for state FOI and open government reforms Existing laws directing state government transparency and accountability to residents are under threat. Three recent actions by state legislatures in Kentucky, Washington […]
The Los Angeles Times has sued L.A. County, accusing it of repeatedly and routinely flouting laws designed to ensure government transparency. Over the last year alone, county officials have refused to release information about the status of homicide investigations, allegations of sexual misconduct against prosecutors and even mundane information such as email addresses for Sheriff’s […]
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Government officials in Kentucky could discuss public business on their personal devices without having to disclose it, according to a surprise amendment moving quickly through the state legislature. A legislative committee amended House Bill 302 on Wednesday to change the definition of public record to say it “shall not include” any […]
Read More… from Kentucky bill would exempt private devices from open records law
The Sunshine State is about to shine a light on its own criminal-justice system: Florida will soon become the first state in the country to require all of its counties to release certain data pertaining to jails, policing, prisons, and courts. A bill passed by the state legislature earlier this month requires counties to gather, […]
Read More… from Florida Will Bring More Transparency to Its Justice System
Lawmakers scheduled eight bills for House and Senate committee hearings today that are related to public records and public meetings. Good government advocates and lobbyists for the working press can be found on both sides of the policy proposals, but they collectively represent a much larger trend playing out at the Capitol. “The number of […]
Each year in mid-March, we celebrate Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week is a national initiative organized by the American Society of News Editors to educate the public about open government and celebrate government transparency. One of the laws that protects transparency and open government is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This act protects the public’s […]
Read More… from Michigan Attorney General: FOIA does not impose deadline for fulfilling request
