Virginia won't be adding criminal penalties to its Freedom of Information Act any time soon.
The state's FOIA Council shot that proposal down Wednesday afternoon without even needing to send it to a subcommittee for study.
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Read More… from FOIA Council in VA: No on making open records violations a misdemeanor
From The News Virginia: RICHMOND — Virginia has historically prided itself on its relative lack of government scandals.
But recent events — namely when Gov. Bob McDonnell accepted significant gifts from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams — have prompted concern over the state’s system of ethical checks and balances, leaving some to question whether the law goes far enough in holding its governing officials financially accountable.
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From The Washington Post: The fight by a conservative legal group and Del. Robert Marshall (R-Prince William) to obtain the e-mails written by leading climate change scientist Michael E. Mann while he was at the University of Virginia was shot down by a judge in Prince William County last year. […]
Read More… from Prince William FOIA case on global warming headed for Virginia Supreme Court
From Richmond Times Dispatch: In 1996, when the Virginia Coalition for Open Government formed, its founders wanted to make at least one point abundantly clear: The public’s right to know is the public’s right to know. The Freedom of Information Act was not — and is not — a media law.
Statistics and anecdotal evidence at the local, state and federal level bear this out. The number of requests for records made by members of the news media pale in comparison with those made by citizens, lawyers, businesses, researchers and academics.
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Read More… from Megan Rhyne: The press does heavy lifting on FOIA
From The Herald-Progress: Virginia’s FOIA Advisory Council declined Hanover County’s request to review the state’s definition of a public meeting Sept. 12.
Hanover County officials requested changing Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act to allow up to three Board members to meet in private to discuss county business without having to advertise it as a public meeting.
Visit The Herald-Progress for more.
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Read More… from Virginia FOIA Council denies Hanover’s request to review open meeting laws
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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Read More… from NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for August 30, 2013
From Watchdog.org: A subcommittee mostly comprised of state employees dropped a bill Tuesday that would have expanded rights to public records to non-Virginians.
And local government lobbyists were there to back them up.
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Read More… from State employees shoot down VA open records access bill
From Richmond Times-Dispatch: Hanover County’s supervisors asked for feedback on their proposal to loosen state regulations restricting private meetings of elected officials, and the reactions have been well shy of a warm welcome.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution last month asking the Virginia General Assembly to change open government regulations to allow more elected officials to meet behind closed doors without notifying the public.
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Read More… from Hanover FOIA proposal gets cold reception from some organizations
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.
Maine CDC official resigns over public records flap
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From Watchdog.org: A new “brainstorming” proposal would allow Virginia public bodies to decide for themselves when they can hold private meetings about public business.
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Read More… from Proposal would let VA public bodies hold private meetings
