National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Volume 1, Issue 1

FOI InSight, an open government newsletter
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FOI InSight is a publication from the National Freedom of Information Coalition featuring and aggregating news and analysis about FOI and open government issues, and delivering items of interest to and about our state member organizations, partners and stakeholders.

We welcome suggestions for future newsletters, and ask that you send us ideas for and links to news about your organization and other FOI and open government-related items.

 NFOIC Members in the News 
NMFOG announces 2012 Transparency Award winners
 
 
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (a member of NFOIC) has announced that five individuals, including Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry, will be recognized as William F. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award winners at a luncheon on October 3.
 
 
Rhode Island improved Access to Public Records Act
 
 
Important changes in legislation have been signed into law by Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee. The new law will better protect FOI requesters, make more information public, and increase fines on non-complying public entities. The National Freedom of Information Coalition joined other open government advocates on this matter.
 
 
 
Settlement in public records case required greater access to emails
 
 
The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) of California, supported by the Knight FOI Fund, has won a settlement agreement with the northern California city of Auburn over retention and disclosure policies regarding government emails. 
 
 
 
With California Brown (Act) out, is government there still in the sunshine?
 
 
County and school boards, city councils, public commissions and special district governing bodies in the state of California may well continue to hold their meetings in the figurative "sunlight," as well they should. But the 59-year-old "Brown Act" was largely eviscerated several weeks ago.
 
 
Wisconsin Supreme Court gives public records fee ruling
 
 
Government entities can't charge the public for the hours spent deleting confidential information from records. The decision marks a major victory for open government, because the public records fees, sometimes stretching into hundreds or thousands of dollars, would have a chilling effect on government transparency.
 
 
 
NFOIC member and supporter badges
 
 
As a member or supporter of NFOIC, you can now display your association with us by placing one of the coalition’s official Web badges on your website. This badge shows your website visitors that you are part of a national network committed to ensuring that a government of, by and for the people is open and accessible to the people. 
 
 
Open government grants work
 
 
A new NFOIC website feature is a page that highlights some of the work our state coalitions and member organizations have been doing as a result of financial support gained from NFOIC pass-through grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The selected list of projects supported by NFOIC sustainability and project grants may be of interest as a resource, a source of ideas or a good communication tool that lets your organization know what other NFOIC affiliate groups are doing. The new webpage highlights a broad range of open government endeavors across the United States that educates the public, and strengthens state organizations and supports their good work.
 
 
About NFOIC
The National Freedom of Information Coalition protects our right to open government. We are a nonpartisan alliance of citizen-driven nonprofit freedom of information organizations, academic and First Amendment centers, journalistic societies and attorneys. Twice annually, NFOIC awards grants to strengthen state coalitions and member organizations, foster their growth, and support a broad range of open government endeavors in individual states. The NFOIC also administers the Knight FOI Fund, which offers financial support to defray costs and expenses in open government lawsuits throughout the year.

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