NFOIC – Page 96 – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Ohio: Dozens of area public agencies cited for open records violations

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Thirty-two area public agencies were among 357 across the state issued citations last year for not fully complying with Ohio’s public records laws, according to the state auditor’s office.

Some had up to four citations, including the Springfield Academy of Excellence, which was shut down by the state in 2015 for other issues. Other entities with more than one citation include the Butler County Agricultural Society and village of Harveysburg.

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Press Release: Sen. Tester introduces Public Online Information Act

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From the press release:

U.S. Senator Jon Tester is shining more light on the federal government by increasing transparency of public records.

Tester introduced the Public Online Information Act, which will make all public records from the Executive Branch permanently available on the Internet in a searchable database at no cost to constituents.

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FOIA Mapper: Who Uses FOIA? – An Analysis of 229,000 Requests to 85 Government Agencies

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When the Freedom of Information Act was enacted in 1966, it was envisioned as a tool for journalists to facilitate government oversight and accountability. Although the FOIA is still generally thought of in this way, inextricably linked to the news media’s role as government watchdog, this view bears little resemblance to the reality of how FOIA is used today.

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Knight Foundation Report: Forecasting Freedom of Information

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In “Forecasting Freedom of Information,” the work of University of Arizona associate professor of journalism David Cuillier, a survey of 300 people–journalists, advocates, record custodians, technology companies, scholars and freedom of information experts–revealed lengthy delays, ignored requests, excessive fees and, in many cases, an unwillingness to consider producing government records because of outmoded technology.

Find the full report here.

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Obama’s final year: US spent $36 million in records lawsuits

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The Obama administration in its final year in office spent a record $36.2 million on legal costs defending its refusal to turn over federal records under the Freedom of Information Act, according to an Associated Press analysis of new U.S. data that also showed poor performance in other categories measuring transparency in government.

For a second consecutive year, the Obama administration set a record for times federal employees told citizens, journalists and others that despite searching they couldn't find a single page of files that were requested.

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Sunlight Foundation: The biggest risks to open government data are political

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Over the past two months, Sunlight has been quietly tracking whether open government data has been removed from the Internet under the Trump administration, responding to widespread fears of its removal.

[Sunlight Foundation] joined the Transparency Caucus in Congress this winter to talk about bipartisan efforts to restore public trust and the importance of preserving open government data.

Continue…

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Sunshine Week Blog Post from NEFAC – Fallout from 38 Studios and the State of Open Government in Rhode Island

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When Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island and members of the state’s House of Representatives recently demanded that records relating to one of the biggest and most publicized loan investigations in the state be made public, it was an early Sunshine Week gift for the public and especially for advocates of open government.

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Colorado FOIC – A $6,750 deposit to search the city clerk’s emails? Records retention an issue for small governments

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Emails of public officials are open for inspection under the Colorado Open Records Act, depending on their content. Such messages can reveal important insights into how government decisions are made, but using CORA to obtain emails can be a frustrating and sometimes futile exercise because records-retention policies tend to be vague and discretionary.

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Celebrate Sunshine Week, FOI Day and James Madison’s birthday with VCOG at Pop-Up Sunshine Day

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On Thursday, March 16, join those in the know as they share short takes on FOIA, access, transparency and more. We'll also show the 2006 PBS profile of Virginia FOIA hero Lee Albright — always a classic — then we'll dim the lights and bring out the snacks to watch last year's best picture Oscar winner about investigative journalism, "Spotlight."

The event is free, but you must register and a donation to VCOG is strongly encouraged.

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Exceptions growing to government transparency in Minnesota

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Exceptions to government transparency are growing in Minnesota as lobbyists for local officials, law enforcement and businesses gain exemptions under the state's public records law.

The number of secrecy provisions in Minnesota's public records law has risen to at least 660, the Star Tribune reported Sunday in a story kicking off Sunshine Week, an annual nationwide celebration of access to public information.

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Author: NFOIC

Posts by NFOIC

Ohio: Dozens of area public agencies cited for open records violations

Press Release: Sen. Tester introduces Public Online Information Act

FOIA Mapper: Who Uses FOIA? – An Analysis of 229,000 Requests to 85 Government Agencies

Knight Foundation Report: Forecasting Freedom of Information

Obama’s final year: US spent $36 million in records lawsuits

Sunlight Foundation: The biggest risks to open government data are political

Sunshine Week Blog Post from NEFAC – Fallout from 38 Studios and the State of Open Government in Rhode Island

Colorado FOIC – A $6,750 deposit to search the city clerk’s emails? Records retention an issue for small governments

Celebrate Sunshine Week, FOI Day and James Madison’s birthday with VCOG at Pop-Up Sunshine Day

Exceptions growing to government transparency in Minnesota