States and cities across the country are cutting off access to open records and canceling in-person meetings, starving the public — not to mention lobbyists and other influence-brokers — of information as the coronavirus outbreak reaches into all corners of civic life. The public access shutdown comes just as local officials make unprecedented decisions about […]
Read More… from Coronavirus clampdown: The virus casts a shroud over American civic life
A judge on Wednesday ordered Gov. Rick Scott to release about three months’ worth of meeting schedules and travel plans — including upcoming campaign events — and rejected his argument that the information should remain secret for security reasons. Circuit Judge Charles Dodson in Tallahassee ruled in favor of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The group […]
No one told some Broward school board members they were filing a contempt-of-court case against the South Florida Sun Sentinel. No one except the Sun Sentinel, that is. The district’s chief lawyer, Barbara Myrick, asked a judge this week to hold the newspaper and two reporters in contempt of court for publishing an uncensored report […]
The Lee County school board decided Tuesday that it will allow the public to attend meetings that it has been holding in private for more than a year. The board started having the private meetings in April 2017. They were held after the board’s regular meetings in a break room at the Public Education Center. […]
Read More… from Lee County (FL) school board opens private meetings to public
News Release May 30, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Daniel Bevarly (239) 823-1811 · dbevarly@nfoic.org State/Local government FOI audits reveal administrative shortcomings Charging different fees for the same public record. Refusing to allow residents to use their cell phones to copy records and save money. The absence of online content to provide necessary information […]
Read More… from News Release – State/Local government FOI audits reveal administrative shortcomings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Report Documents Florida’s Lack of Accountability for Public Records Requests Percent of Requests with Fees and Amount Collected Varies Widely from County to County Gainesville, Fla., April 16, 2018 Despite having some of the most open public records laws in the country, Florida’s lack of accountability […]
Read More… from Report Documents Florida’s Lack of Accountability for Public Records Requests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE National Freedom of Information Coalition to Relocate to the University of Florida NFOIC joins a renowned FOI Center and First Amendment Project at the College of Journalism […]
Read More… from National Freedom of Information Coalition to Relocate to the University of Florida
A public-private agency that promotes Florida’s tourism industry won full funding from the state legislature despite criticism that the state support amounts to corporate welfare.
But the $76 million approved for Visit Florida during a special session of the legislature last week came with stiffer reporting requirements aimed at making the agency’s activities more transparent.
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The Florida First Amendment Foundation worked hard throughout Florida's legislative session to advocate for open government and freedom of information. They just released their final report for the 2017 session, which can be found with their weekly reports.
The reports can be found here.
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Read More… from Florida First Amendment Foundation 2017 Legislative Review
Florida lawmakers are considering letting local officials meet one on one, outside of the public eye. But a first amendment advocate says the change could encourage corruption.
Florida’s sunshine laws require government meetings to be noticed and open to the public. But some lawmakers want to let local officials meet one on one. They wouldn’t be able to take votes or discuss publicly funded projects. But that doesn’t satisfy Barbara Petersen with the First Amendment Foundation.
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Read More… from Florida First Amendment Foundation Challenges Sunshine Law Exemption
