Lawmaker offers proposal for resolving open-records disputes through mediation
A Colorado House bill is intended to encourage records requesters and government entities to resolve disputes through mediation rather than in the court system.
Colorado Legislature
Commentary: It’s time to bring Colorado’s open-records act into the 21st century
For half a century, public records laws have been indispensable tools for disproving “alternative facts” and getting to the truth about government spending, activities and decision making. But in our state, the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) is showing its age, especially regarding access to the myriad records maintained in spreadsheets and databases by state agencies, cities, counties and other taxpayer-funded entities covered by the law.
House committee again rejects bill to make judicial branch records subject to CORA
It happened to be Groundhog Day when a House committee killed Rep. Polly Lawrence’s latest effort to make administrative records of Colorado’s judicial branch subject to the state’s open records law.
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.
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.