A Wisconsin bill that would increase compensation for people wrongly convicted of crimes has open records advocates worried over what it would do to court records.
The bipartisan bill from Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie) would help the wrongly convicted with up to $50,000 per year spent behind bars, plus transitional services and access to state health insurance.
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Read More… from Aid for wrongfully convicted in Wisconsin could create open records problem
Republican lawmakers are pushing a bill that would allow them access to documents from closed John Doe investigations involving Gov. Scott Walker.
The bill would create a legislative committee with oversight of law enforcement, granting it subpoena power and the ability to access records from secret John Doe investigations once closed.
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Read More… from Wisconsin lawmakers push committee to review John Doe investigations
A Wisconsin bill that would shine light on the emerging investigative technologies and techniques being used by law enforcement is headed for a public hearing this week.
The Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations has scheduled a hearing on the legislation for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Capitol.
As law enforcement agencies face new crime-fighting challenges in the Digital Age, they are employing technology and tactics that raise civil liberties concerns.
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Read More… from Hearings slated for surveillance technology, WIAA open records bills in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday fought over open-records laws covering unsubstantiated misconduct allegations against public servants.
The case at hand stems from requests by The Lakeland Times newspaper for state records on its communications with Vilas County District Attorney Albert Moustakis and its investigations into his conduct.
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Read More… from Tensions soar in Wisconsin over public records
One game that government officials like to play is to pretend they didn't hear you. Kind of like kids when you ask them if they've done their homework or if they could mow the lawn. Ask again, and you might get a grunt, ask a third time and you might be accused of harassment.
I don't know if the state Department of Natural Resources is playing those games with Midwestern Environmental Advocates, but the public interest law firm filed suit last week contending just that.
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Read More… from Editorial: Wisconsin’s open records law needs deadlines and consequences
A Wisconsin public interest law firm filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Natural Resources, alleging unreasonably long delays in responding to public records requests.
Midwest Environmental Advocates said in one case it has been waiting for more than 10 months for the DNR to provide records it asked for, although in this case, the firm said it learned recently it had missed a payment deadline for processing the records. In another case, the law firm said it has waited more than seven months for records.
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Read More… from Wisconsin firm sues state’s DNR over delays on records requests
Wisconsin officials backed away Thursday from a move to cut back on record-keeping requirements amid a backlash by open government advocates.
The board that oversees state public records will instead revisit its August vote changing the definition of so-called transitory records, such as texts and other messages deemed to have only temporary value. Gov. Scott Walker's administration has used the changes to deny requests for text messages and records of visits to the governor's mansion.
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Read More… from Wisconsin board backs away from open records rule changes
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law on Wednesday measures that transform campaign finance rules and a government accountability board — two bills pushed by the very same conservative political groups implicated in an investigation into his campaign.
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Read More… from Conservative groups helped gut Wisconsin election laws
An obscure board overseeing state public records gave so little notice of a move to sharply limit electronic records that it appears to have violated the state's open meetings law, attorneys and open records advocates say.
The changes have already had an impact — they were used by Gov. Scott Walker's administration as a reason not to release records just one day after the action was quietly taken in August by the Public Records Board, which oversees the preservation and handling of government records.
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Read More… from Wisconsin board’s records action appears to have violated open meetings law
