We so liked the State FOIA Friday this week, we thought we’d give it this second and special edition.
A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week:
Delaware water utility resolves public records fight, releases information on staff pay
CAMDEN, Del. (Nov 23, 2012) — A Delaware water and sewer authority has released public records on the salaries of its employees after a legal fight over whether the utility is a public body. The News Journal reports the Camden-Wyoming Sewer and Water Authority provided wage and benefit information this week on its 12 full-time employees and two seasonal workers.
Visit The Republic for the rest.
San Diego Port says personal emails not public’s business
SAN DIEGO (Nov 23, 2012) — If U-T San Diego CEO John Lynch is still sending emails to the personal account of Port Commissioner and congressman-elect Scott Peters, you won’t know it. The Unified Port of San Diego has declined to release any communication about the public’s business that might exist in Peters’ personal accounts, saying state law doesn’t require it. But the issue isn’t that clear cut. Courts across the country are divided over public access to private accounts.
Visit KPBS for the rest.
Death row inmate loses FOIA lawsuit against FBI
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov 23, 2012) — A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of the FBI's decision to redact information from records sought under the Freedom of Information Act by a Tennessee death row inmate. Inmate Michael Dale Rimmer sued the agency over records relating to an investigation they conducted into the death of a Memphis motel clerk in 1997. Rimmer was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of the clerk, Ricci Lynn Ellsworth.
Visit NewsChannel5.com for the rest.
Penn., N.J.: DRPA approves open-records policy, tighter controls on employee expenses
(Nov 22, 2012) — For the second time in as many months, the Delaware River Port Authority board has approved reform measures designed to make the agency more accountable and efficient. The latest steps, including an open-records policy and tighter rules on employee expense accounts, were approved Wednesday and are part of a continuing move to make changes requested more than two years ago by the governors of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Visit The Inquirer for the rest.
Ky. University Hospital is public entity subject to open-records law, judge rules
(Nov 21, 2012) — University Hospital is a public entity and subject to Kentucky’s open-records law, a senior judge ruled Wednesday in a victory for The Courier-Journal, WHAS-TV and the ACLU of Kentucky. Judge Martin McDonald rejected University Hospital’s claim that it is a private corporation because it is controlled by a board of directors, rather than University of Louisville.
Visit Courier-Journal.com for the rest.
Florida: Palm Coast stands by its attorney on Sunshine Law issue
PALM COAST (Nov 20, 2012) — The First Amendment Foundation emailed a letter to city officials Tuesday reiterating that the City Council violated the Sunshine Law in its appointment of David Ferguson to the council. Ferguson was sworn in during Tuesday's City Council meeting to the District 2 seat. Ferguson, 60, was appointed to the seat last week even though an attorney for the First Amendment Foundation warned that the city had violated the Sunshine Law in its selection process.
Visit News-JournalOnline.com for the rest.
Florida: Palm Coast stands by its attorney on Sunshine Law issue
PALM COAST (Nov 20, 2012) — The First Amendment Foundation emailed a letter to city officials Tuesday reiterating that the City Council violated the Sunshine Law in its appointment of David Ferguson to the council. Ferguson was sworn in during Tuesday's City Council meeting to the District 2 seat. Ferguson, 60, was appointed to the seat last week even though an attorney for the First Amendment Foundation warned that the city had violated the Sunshine Law in its selection process.
Visit News-JournalOnline.com for the rest.