Legislative preview: 2017 could bring big changes to Colorado’s open-records law
State lawmakers could substantially reform the Colorado Open Records Act during the 2017 legislative session.
Colorado Legislature
Fake news to ‘fishing expeditions’: CFOIC looks back at 2016
Will 2016 be remembered as the year we realized just how much our democracy depends on an informed citizenry? The fake news epidemic was one of many issues the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition highlighted in 2016 or wrote about on its blog.
Legislative committee votes to shred old General Assembly files dating to the 1930s
A committee of state lawmakers recommended the destruction of old files on bills and amendments prepared for members of the General Assembly.
Legislator plans another try at making Colorado judicial branch subject to CORA
A Republican state lawmaker said she will try again during the 2017 legislative session to make Colorado’s judicial branch subject to the state’s open-records law.
As CORA Working Group readies 2017 legislation, Attorney General’s office announces opposition
After months of work by stakeholders, proposed 2017 legislation is taking shape that would modernize the Colorado Open Records Act and provide an alternative to litigation for resolving CORA disputes. Despite the progress, however, a formidable roadblock surfaced when the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced that it will not support the most recent bill draft.
State auditor seeks authority to investigate tips about government fraud
Colorado’s state auditor wants statutory authority to investigate tips about kickbacks, bribes and other kinds of fraud and abuse that might occur in state government.
Proposal calls for the destruction of old General Assembly files dating to the 1930s
The Colorado legislature’s legal staff will shred old files on each bill and amendment prepared for members of the General Assembly – some going back to the 1930s – if lawmakers approve a proposed new records retention policy.
CORA Working Group focuses on database records, open data, alternatives to litigation
Immediately after a bill to modernize the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) died in a Senate committee last session, the Secretary of State’s office offered to bring stakeholders together to work on a 2017 proposal agreeable to both government entities and records requesters. That effort is well underway this summer and has focused on three main topics.
Governor signs CCB transparency bill at Rocky Mountain Human Services
Parents and advocates celebrated the signing of SB 16-038 at the Denver-based community-centered board whose financial woes motivated state lawmakers’ efforts to impose transparency measures on the 20 nonprofits that coordinate services for Coloradans with disabilities.
Open-government wins and losses in the 2016 Colorado legislative session
On matters affecting public information, the General Assembly did little during this year’s session to improve access. The most significant legislative win for government transparency doesn’t actually affect governments.