National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Tag: iowa open records

Mystery of missing records taints Iowa hazing case

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From Des Moines Register: State officials say key performance and disciplinary records from the Department of Public Safety’s 2008 training academy have gone missing from a locked storage unit — a development that has undermined the investigation of a hazing incident that year.

Academy instructors said the records, including detailed notes on the 32 graduates’ progress during the 20-week program, were boxed and stored at DPS headquarters in Des Moines alongside similar records from prior academies.

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NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for October 4, 2013

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From NFOIC:  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. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.

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Editorial: Iowa personnel records law needs review

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From Dubuque Telegraph Herald:  When an individual makes an abrupt departure from a job within a public institution, those in charge will usually avoid discussing the circumstances of the departure with one simple claim: "It's a personnel issue. And personnel records can't be released to the public."

Only, that might not be quite accurate. The way Iowa Code chapter 22.7 is written, it can be interpreted to allow for the custodian of a record to use his or her discretion when it comes to the release of personnel information.

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ACLU sues Des Moines schools for records from closed Nancy Sebring meeting

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From Des Moines Register:

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa today filed a lawsuit to force the Des Moines school district to provide materials from a May 10 meeting closed to the public, after which the school board voted to accept the resignation of former superintendent Nancy Sebring.

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Iowa Supreme Court rules in favor of UI in records request lawsuit

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From The Daily Iowan:

The Iowa Supreme Court on July 13 ruled that the University of Iowa is not obligated to turn over student records to the Iowa City Press-Citizen related to a 2007 sexual-assault investigation.

The court ruled 4-3 that the university does not need to hand over student records to the newspaper, after the UI had been forced to hand more than hundreds of other documents following the lawsuit.

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NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for July 6, 2012

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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:

Reverse surveillance: ACLU-NJ’s police tape app lets you secretly record any video interactions with cops

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115 new Sebring emails released on judge’s ruling

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From The Des Moines Register:

Additional email exchanges between former Des Moines schools superintendent Nancy Sebring and her male lover became public Friday after a Polk County judge refused to block their release.

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