Tennessee open records advocates fear impact of court ruling
From commercialappeal.com: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Transparency advocates are warning about the ramifications of a recent Tennessee appeals court ruling that "high government officials" can keep documents secret if they deem them part of their decision-making process. read more ...
Residents complain electronic devices close open meetings
From The Marietta Daily Journal: MARIETTA — Elected leaders across Georgia have been using smartphones and iPads for city business, helping them work smarter and more efficiently, they say. But when they tap out a message to a fellow board member during a meeting, some residents have complained that they feel locked out of a business meeting that is supposed to be open to the public. Visit The Marietta Daily Journal for more. read more ...
Wapella holds FOIA distinction among Illinois state workers
From pantagraph.com: WAPELLA — There was a time when Wapella, a town of about 552 people, was pretty well-known in the Illinois Attorney General’s office. In 2012, the DeWitt County village was looking for guidance from the AG’s office after 408 Freedom of Information Act requests were filed by private citizens for the Village Board or the village itself. Some of the requests were denied by officials and sent to the AG’s office for a review of the rulings. read more ...
Taos County officials say lunches only meals, not deals
From Santa Fe New Mexican: TAOS — A quorum of the Taos County Commission meets regularly to have lunch, but commissioners insist that they discuss no county business. County officials say the lunches are within the state’s sunshine laws, but an attorney with the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government told The Taos News he questions whether this is an ethical practice, and says it is teetering on the edge of illegal. read more ...
Pa. state universities continue fight against more transparency
From The Mercury: The four biggest taxpayer-funded universities in Pennsylvania continue to push back against proposed legislation that would give taxpayers to the right to know how hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year. read more ...
Deborah Fisher named director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government
From The Republic: NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The former senior news editor at The Tennessean has been chosen to lead the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. TCOG President Doug Pierce said the group is glad to have someone of Deborah Fisher's experience and passion for open government as the coalition's new executive director. Visit The Republic for more. read more ...
Despite ruling, Rockland clerk refuses to release public gun-permit data
From The Journal News: The Rockland County clerk is refusing to release the names and addresses of non-exempt pistol permit holders, ignoring state law and a letter from the county’s top public records official ordering the records’ release. read more ...
SF law firm weighs in on Sorenson decision
From TheCalifornian.com: A San Francisco law firm is jumping on a local bandwagon asking the California Supreme Court to review an appellate court’s decision that would ultimately close all conservatorship hearings to the public. In a Thursday amici letter to the Supreme Court, Duffy Carolan of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, argues the Sixth District Court of Appeals relied on a faulty understanding of the law to rule that all Lanterman-Petris-Short Act proceedings ought to be closed. [...] read more ...
NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for November 8, 2013
From NFOIC: A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives. Brevard corruption case morphs into public records battle read more ...
Editorial: Farm Bill undermines FOIA
From Rapid City Journal: House and Senate conferees are continuing to meet to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2013 Farm Bill. We received a copy of a letter to the conferees from the National Freedom of Informa ...
