Gov. Larry Hogan may have campaigned on a pledge to bring more transparency to government in Annapolis, but his lawyer has urged agency heads and staff to stamp a claim of "executive privilege" — the civilian equivalent of "top secret" — on all their internal correspondence, emails and documents.
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Read More… from Maryland Gov. Hogan ‘executive privilege’ email troubles open-government advocates
The federal government needs a new Freedom of Information Act champion.
Following the November retirement of Office of Government Information Services Director Miriam Nisbet, the office in charge of monitoring governmentwide FOIA compliance and policy is looking for a permanent replacement.
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Read More… from Editorial: AMERICA NEEDS A NEW FOIA OVERSEER: IS IT YOU?
Congress came tantalizingly close last year to passing a bill to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act, which allows journalists and the public to access federal government records. The legislation, which would have brought more transparency, was blocked in December when the House speaker, John Boehner, refused to hold a vote on the Senate bill with no explanation. Two months later, lawmakers have a second chance.
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Read More… from Opinion: A Stronger Freedom of Information Act
Carolina Public Press is at it again, continuing to foster a more well-informed region, with its newest initiative. Open WNC, which Executive Director Angie Newsome says she hopes to launch in July, aims to give readers and citizens of Western Carolina easy access to public documents, data and records.
The project is still seeking partners throughout the region.
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Read More… from Carolina Public Press announces open government, data and records project
As students and journalists, knowing the ins and outs of what goes on at our University is important. Whether that means knowing where our money is going, what is happening with regards to administration, or who is coming to campus, we like to know it all. Requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act helps us do that. The act allows us to legally obtain this information and doing so allows us to gain better insight about happenings on our campus. The information and transparency of FOIA content is open to everyone.
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In 1788, revolutionary leader Patrick Henry said: “The liberties of people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”
That basic democratic principle is still important more than 200 years later.
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I have a 20-year frustration about something in Texas, a problem I’ve never solved, an itch that won’t go away.
Texas has a remarkable law. It’s called the Texas Public Information Act. The TPIA is supposed to remove any steel doors protecting local, county, school and state governments from prying eyes — and replace them with glass walls.
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Read More… from Watchdog: Open-records site designed to pull back curtain on Texas government
Congress is currently considering changes to improve the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and that’s a good thing. While the FOIA is very useful, it’s not a silver bullet, and it’s certainly time to consider improving the Act.
During the course of the Obama Administration, Americans for Limited Government has filed hundreds of FOIA requests going to every Executive Branch department and many of the independent agencies.
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Legislators like to say they can’t legislate morality, although they keep trying, because they can.
The same can be said for open government. No matter how many laws are passed or how many court orders are issued, people in power will find shady spots in the “Sunshine” law, because they can.
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Read More… from Opinion: Open government not hard, if you believe in it
People say they want government to run more efficiently, like a business. What happens when governments are tested the way businesses are?
Mystery shopping is part of the business world. Customers secretly test a business as mystery shoppers, then grade the results.
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Read More… from Opinion: Who is good at open government? Who is bad?
