Small business tax credit for local news advertising advances in Colorado House
A committee of state lawmakers endorsed a tax credit for small businesses that spend money to advertise in Colorado news outlets.
Journalism
CFOIC, other groups seek Colorado Supreme Court review of ruling that makes attorneys liable for statements made to news media
The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition and other organizations are asking the state’s highest court to review an appellate court ruling that, if allowed to stand, will impact the First Amendment rights of lawyers to make statements about public-interest litigation.
CFOIC’s 2021 year in review: sole finalists, internal affairs records, body-cam footage, peace officer database, disinformation, a judge’s order to ‘be kind’
Court rulings top CFOIC’s 2021 list of Colorado transparency highlights and lowlights, with the most impactful paving the way for a state law change that lets governments publicly name just one finalist for chief executive positions like university president, city manager and school superintendent.
A reporter’s questions can trigger complaint requirement in new police body-cam footage law
A new Colorado law requires the public disclosure of police body-worn camera footage of incidents “in which there is a complaint of peace officer misconduct.” But what do journalists do when they want to request video, but no one has filed an official complaint?
CFOIC’s new online guide to Colorado’s sunshine laws
Bookmark it. Use it. Share it. For the first time, the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition’s sunshine laws guide is online — searchable and indexed by topic — with links to pertinent statutes and case law.
Applying Colorado’s two-year-old anti-SLAPP law, judge dismisses defamation suit against newspaper and orders litigants to ‘be kind’
A judge threw out a defamation lawsuit against the Weekly Register-Call newspaper in Black Hawk, applying a 2019 state law that established an expedited process for dismissing civil suits targeting free expression.
Colorado news organizations recognize the ‘right to be forgotten’
Not discussed in that House committee hearing: Some news organizations in Colorado are acting on that sentiment, establishing policies that let story subjects formally ask that their names be removed from long-ago articles that live online indefinitely.
Wrap-up: Sole finalist, police transparency bills mark 2021 Colorado legislative session
The 2021 Colorado legislative session produced a mixed bag of good and not-so-good developments for those concerned about government transparency.
Amendments to police bills address public access to internal affairs records, body-cam footage, Brady lists and news media access to encrypted radio traffic
One change will impact the release of body-worn and dashboard camera footage, and another might help mitigate the loss of public information caused by the encryption of police radio transmissions. Two additional provisions address public access to records of completed police internal affairs investigations and lists of officers who have credibility issues.
Colorado House adds radio encryption provision to law enforcement reform bill
State representatives inserted a provision addressing police radio encryption into a law-enforcement accountability measure that builds on the major police reform bill passed in 2020.