Milwaukee, Wisconsin, police began using body-worn cameras in 2015, but the public’s access to footage is limited in the state, according to WTMJ-TV. “We’re at the second phase of the battle,” said Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr, who represents the family of Joel Acevedo, who died after an off-duty police officer allegedly held him in a chokehold. […]
Tag: Wisconsin FOI
WI: school board wants right to charge people tens of thousands for public records
IOLA – Iola-Scandinavia school leaders want state lawmakers to allow government agencies to charge people more for access to public records, including for lawyers to decide what information to keep hidden. School board members unanimously approved a resolution in March that said the district spent roughly $27,000 on legal and administrative fees for processing records […]
Read More… from WI: school board wants right to charge people tens of thousands for public records
Wisconsin Public Records Board head: We didn’t change transitory records definition
The head of the state's Public Records Board said it did not change the meaning of a "transitory" record at its August meeting.
Matt Blessing, an archivist with the Wisconsin Historical Society and chairman of the Public Records Board, said the board did not change its policy at the meeting, but rather expanded the description of what constitutes a "transitory" record including more specific examples to guide staff in training and orientation.
[…]
Read More… from Wisconsin Public Records Board head: We didn’t change transitory records definition
Wisconsin Governor finding new way to deny public records
Gov. Scott Walker’s administration has found another novel method to deny the public access to government records.
In at least two recent cases, the administration says it doesn’t have to keep certain “transitory” records and therefore can’t release records it doesn’t have.
[…]
Read More… from Wisconsin Governor finding new way to deny public records
Editorial: Wisconsin Legislature should reject secrecy bill
The Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill last week that would dramatically reduce voters' ability to know which corporations, unions and wealthy individuals are funding state campaigns. The Senate is expected to vote on a companion bill (SB 292) shortly.
[…]
Read More… from Editorial: Wisconsin Legislature should reject secrecy bill
Editorial: 3 bills in the legislature threaten Wisconsin values
Our duly elected representatives in the state legislature are busily selling off both Wisconsin’s land and its reputation for honest and open government. Meanwhile, we are watching football and hunting ducks and texting our friends; we won’t notice until it is too late that some of the things we value most about Wisconsin are gone forever. Continue…
—————
[…]
Read More… from Editorial: 3 bills in the legislature threaten Wisconsin values
GOP changes to Wisconsin’s John Doe law create exceptions for politicians, Democratic lawmaker says
Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature are pushing a bill that would change the state’s so-called John Doe law, which allows for criminal investigations — like two that were related to Gov. Scott Walker — to be done in secret.
[…]
Political donors would not have to ID employer under bill
Those giving money to governors, lawmakers and other candidates would no longer have to disclose who they work for under a rewritten campaign finance bill that is rocketing through the Wisconsin Legislature.
[…]
Read More… from Political donors would not have to ID employer under bill
Wisconsin state appeals court says Attorney General Schimel must release training videos
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel must make public a pair of law enforcement training videos he made before being elected and that Democrats say show him making inappropriate comments, a state appeals court has ruled.
There is no compelling reason to keep secret the videos, made in 2009 and 2013 when Schimel was Waukesha County district attorney, the unanimous three-judge panel on the 2nd District Court of Appeals said. Continue…
[…]