MONTPELIER — Lawmakers want to tweak Vermont’s open meeting and public records regulations, but some say the changes don’t do enough to increase governmental transparency. The Senate has advanced a bill, H.910, that addresses issues such as the definition of a public meeting, response times for record requests, and repeal of exemptions to public records […]
Read More… from Advocates want to tweak Vermont bill on public records, open meetings
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office this week began posting online all public records requests and responses from 2017 and 2018. The decision to make the information public was driven by criticism from media organizations, according to TJ Donovan, who assumed the office of Vermont Attorney General last year. Battles over public records have made headlines […]
Read More… from Vermont Attorney General launches public records page
In a settlement this week of a lawsuit over the release of public records, the state of Vermont will pay $30,500 in attorneys fees and costs and the Agency of Education will provide to a journalist information it withheld about bullying and hazing in Vermont schools. The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont filed the […]
Read More… from Vermont state will pay ACLU and turn over records in settlement
A Vermont judge has ruled a private contractor managing medical records for the state has to follow the state's public records law.
Vermont Information Technology Leaders denied a citizen-activist's request for records on how it was spending money received from the state, saying it was a private, nonprofit firm.
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Read More… from VT: Judge tells government contractor – Follow public records law
VT Public Records – Cornerstone of Government Transparency
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Read More… from Sec. of State Jim Condos: VT Public Records – Cornerstone of Government Transparency
From Bennington Banner: RUTLAND (AP) — The Vermont Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling giving the Rutland Herald newspaper access to records connected to an investigation into the Rutland city police officers who were disciplined for viewing and sending pornography at work.
The justices denied an appeal by the city, which raised concerns about the privacy rights of city employees.
Visit Bennington Banner for more.
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From VtDigger.org: Vermont’s public records law is rife with exemptions, but last spring the Legislature lifted one that had kept locks on all records relating to criminal investigations.
A committee of lawmakers, given the task of inventorying all 245 exemptions during a three-year period, revisited that change Friday, three months after it took effect.
Visit VtDigger.org for more.
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Read More… from New access to criminal investigation records assessed by Vermont lawmakers
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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From VTDigger.org: The Vermont ACLU is suing the nation’s largest private prison company for allegedly ignoring public records requests about Vermont prisoners.
The question at the heart of the lawsuit is whether or not the state’s public records act can be applied to a private corporation that is performing duties for a public agency. Vermont ACLU attorney Dan Barrett says he’s confident it can.
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Read More… from Vermont ACLU sues private prison company over public records
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.
Attorney General issues informal opinion on Iowa Public Radio questions
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