Privacy, government openness concerns weighed in Wyoming constitutional amendment

Rights to personal privacy and government access soon may be added to the Wyoming Constitution.

Lawmakers meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday voted to have staff members draft a proposed constitutional amendment that guarantees residents a “right to individual privacy” and a “right to know” about public business.

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Pennsylvania: Is Arneson ruling a win for transparency? Media representatives, lawmakers and more think so

Everybody says they're for transparency in government these days.

And most seem to believe the Commonwealth Court's 4-3 decision Wednesday limiting the governor's ability to change executive director's in the state Office of Open Records in mid-term as a good step for that cause.

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South Carolina: Lawmakers half-hearted about FOI

A legislative session that was most notable for how little it accomplished followed suit on issues regarding open, transparent government.

In what should be considered a victory, a new South Carolina law will do what many thought was already called for and had thus been doing for years. It requires public bodies to have agendas. Further, the agenda may be changed only with proof of emergency circumstances and two thirds of the body agreeing to the changes.

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D.C. police chief clashes with public advocates over body camera footage

When she testified at a hearing last month in favor of making police body-worn camera videos accessible to the public, the District’s chief open government advocate, Traci Hughes, suggested the police department’s reasoning for limiting access to the footage was flawed.

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Help Us Strengthen Open Government

Since the United States joined the Open Government Partnership in 2011, U.S. agencies have been working alongside civil society to develop and implement commitments to increase transparency, improve participation, and curb corruption. From opening up Federal spending data to make it easier to see how taxpayer dollars are spent, to the We the People online petition site where the public can propose U.S. policy changes, to strengthening efforts to deny safe haven in the U.S. to corrupt individuals, our efforts to advance open government are making an impact.

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Another D.C. FOIA Blanket Exemption Headed for Passage Under the Radar: Open Government Coalition Again Urges Meaningful Review

The Coalition Wednesday (3) wrote Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (also the other Members and the Mayor), asking that a section of the massive budget support bill for the coming year be dropped before the upcoming final vote for lack of any public input.

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Texas: Open-government advocates cheer bills passed by Legislature

AUSTIN – A measure that would make private university police reports subject to Texas' open-government laws was one of a number of transparency measures approved by the Legislature this session.

Senate Bill 308, authored by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, was filed in response to a student who was fatally shot by University of Incarnate Word police officers in San Antonio, and another incident at Rice University.

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