On one of the otherwise bare walls of John Quigley's office hangs a banner: "Bureau of Integrity & Transparency."
The Department of Environmental Protection secretary makes a point of mentioning it to his visitors on the 16th floor of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg. Continue…
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Read More… from DEP recordkeeping needs to improve, Pennsylvania officials say
A coalition committed to government openness and accountability are calling on Congress to pass legislation aimed at improving police transparency.
The letter calls for congress to pass the Police Reporting of Information, Data and Evidence (PRIDE) Act, at a time when public pressure for comprehensive data on deadly incidents involving law enforcement has reached a high point. Continue…
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Read More… from Letter calls for comprehensive data on police shootings
DC Open Government Coalition Legal Committee co-chair Fritz Mulhauser testified Wednesday in favor of legislation that would require more openness in charter schools' business dealings, but stressed the need for broader action so that D.C. taxpayers can know how efficiently and effectively the private nonprofit schools are spending over $600 million dollars a year.
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Read More… from Coalition urges Council to expand transparency of DC charter schools
Jersey City officials announced today the launch of a revamped online portal that will provide residents easier access to public data.
The new Jersey City Open Data Portal, which gives residents access to a wide range of information — from city budgets to maps of bike lanes — includes enhanced data mapping and visualization features, and what officials describe is a more advanced software platform. Continue…
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Read More… from Jersey City launches new data platform to make city ‘more transparent’
Florida Democrats are demanding the public be allowed "real time" access into the behind-the-scenes process of map drawing being conducted by House and Senate staff in preparation for next week's special session to realign Senate district boundaries.
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Read More… from Florida Democrats demand map-drawing transparency
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the State Bar of California’s annual dues bill, allowing the agency to collect dues and stay in business another year.
But mandates under Senate Bill 387 include new requirements for greater transparency, financial accountability and improved attorney-discipline reporting. Continue…
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Read More… from California’s approval of funding bill continues State Bar reforms
When Ohioans find their access to government thwarted and sue to assert their open-government rights, the odds are stacked against them in the Ohio Supreme Court.
So finds a recent analysis by the Ohio Coalition for Open Government in a report that examines 32 such cases between 2010 and this year. Of those cases, only 12 rulings favored open government. The remaining 20 decisions went the other way. Continue…
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The city of Atlanta has announced the creation of three new websites that will give residents access to financial and departmental data.
The three websites, Data Atlanta portal, Atlanta Budget Explorer and FORAtlanta, are an effort to maintain transparency, officials said. Continue…
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Philadelphia school district officials and the City Council have signed an agreement to provide lawmakers with greater fiscal oversight and pave the way for the district to receive $25 million approved by Council over the summer.
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Read More… from Philly schools, City Council sign agreement to promote transparency
While Silicon Valley firms often preach about the value of transparency, a new study finds that top tech companies are among the least open about their “dark money” political contributions — funds funneled to nonprofits that can easily mask their donors.
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Read More… from Tech industry lags in political transparency
