July 6, 2020 For Immediate Release Contact: Daniel Bevarly Executive Director, NFOIC dbevarly@nfoic.org 352-294-7082 Another instance where the pandemic has been used by a public body to validate holding a public meeting without the public (17 meetings actually) has resulted in another lawsuit. Although COVID-19 has created challenges for state and […]
Read More… from Knight FOI Litigation Fund supports another pandemic-related open meetings lawsuit
The Alabama governor’s emergency order allowing teleconferenced meetings in limited situations during the COVID-19 pandemic is being abused by the council majority, according to at least one Decatur, Ala., councilman. Gov. Kay Ivey’s order waives portions of the Open Meetings Act by allowing teleconferenced meetings, but only for COVID-19-related business and as “necessary to perform […]
Read More… from Alabama Council Members Debate Use of Online City Meetings
There were a lot of sleepy eyes at the Wilson Building after some D.C. councilmembers stayed until the very end of a hearing on crime that started Wednesday night and lasted until 3 a.m Thursday.
Reducing violent crime and efficient emergency services are two things that city residents seem to be most concerned about these days. In the last 24 hours, both of those issues have been getting a lot of attention. Continue…
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Read More… from DC public meeting to discuss crime lasts almost 10 hours
A showdown between the mayor of the District of Columbia and the first-ever elected attorney general has been averted for now.
At issue is Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal in her new budget to water down some of the new attorney general’s powers, particularly when it comes to reviewing government contracts.
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A proposal to invite all 87 of Utah's Republican state lawmakers into a closed-door debate on health care policy is raising concerns.
State senators appeared Monday to be balking at the idea of a joint behind-the-scenes discussion with their House counterparts about Gov. Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah Medicaid expansion plan before voting on a hallmark issue of the 2015 legislative session.
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The Board of Representatives wants to know if they can phone it in — literally.
At Mayor David Martin's prodding, a board committee began research in December on electronic attendance at meetings of the city's legislative boards and commissions.
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Read More… from Stamford, Connecticut considers virtual attendance at meetings
Prompted by a legal challenge into whether its dinner meetings were truly open to the public, the University of Washington Board of Regents will no longer regularly be holding them at the off-campus home of UW President Michael Young, as has been its practice for many years.
Instead, the 10-member board will meet at the University of Washington Club, a nonprofit campus social club.
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Read More… from UW regents move dinner meetings for public access
The First Amendment watchdog group and NFOIC affiliate member, Californians Aware is calling on the Garden Grove City Council to publicly apologize under threat of legal action for a violation of the state's open meetings law, after it withheld an investigative report on the fire department last week.
At the Oct. 14 City Council meeting, council members received a written report investigating management issues in the fire department.
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Read More… from Watchdog Calls Out Garden Grove for Withholding Records
