Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming have the most restrictive laws regarding the disclosure of police body-camera recordings. That’s according to a May 10, 2021, article in The Hill. “With no federal requirements on releasing police videos, states often differ in their approach to making the footage publicly available, […]
Tag: Wyoming
Jackson Hole Airport Board must follow public records law, Wyoming Supreme Court rules
The state’s highest court on Tuesday overturned a lower court and ruled a western Wyoming airport board must follow the state’s public records law. In overturning the Teton County District Court, the court noted the absurdity of the lower court’s ruling that the public records act did not apply to the Jackson Hole Airport Board. […]
Powell Tribune (WY) editorial: Toughening of public records act would be a positive step
We’re pleased to see Wyoming lawmakers taking a preliminary step toward strengthening the state’s public records act. Late last month, the Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee endorsed a bill that would give government officials a deadline for providing public records: They’d need to turn over the records within 17 days of […]
Wyoming slow to test the transparency waters
Wyoming’s lack of transparency in state government is legendary. The Center for Public Integrity labeled it the worst in the nation in 2015, and the Legislature has done nothing since to improve that rating. Now there is some movement on one aspect of this vital issue, with newly elected Gov. Mark Gordon and State Auditor […]
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Wyoming court: OK to charge for viewing electronic records
The Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled against the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in a public records dispute with Laramie County School District 1.
In a 3-2 decision issued Wednesday, the state’s highest court ruled that government agencies are allowed to charge people to look at electronic public records. The fee should be a reasonable charge for the cost of producing a copy of the record, the majority of the justices said.
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Wyoming: State government online transparency grade is moving up
The online transparency of Wyoming’s state government is improving, according to a report released today by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG).
In its sixth annual report, Following the Money 2016: How the 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data, Wyoming was recognized as having one of the five most-improved state transparency websites. Continue…
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Proposed rules for public records fees in Wyoming concern open government advocates
A state government proposal would require Wyoming agencies to charge a standard set of fees for obtaining public records.
The goal: simplifying that process across departments. But some have questioned parts of the proposed rules, including a section that appears to create a potential cost to inspect electronic records.
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Secrecy in Wyoming’s budget shortfall proposal
A legislative proposal could ensure that the work of Wyoming’s influential revenue-estimating group can continue in secret and behind closed doors.
A bill passed by the Senate last week would exempt the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group – other than its final public reports – from the state’s public records and open meetings act. The group, more commonly known as CREG, issues annual and periodic reports projecting how much mineral taxes and other revenues the state can expect to take in during the coming years.
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Judge questions Wyoming laws barring collection of open lands data; allows lawsuit to proceed
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit contesting two new Wyoming laws barring people from gathering information about agriculture and other industries on private and public lands.
U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl in Casper made the ruling Monday after questioning the constitutionality of the laws. Continue…
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Wyoming Commissioner files Freedom of Information request on commission
At the regular Natrona County Commission meeting last week, Commissioner Steve Schlager accused the commission’s chairman and vice chairman of withholding information and making decisions outside of regular sessions.
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