California expands journalist shield law, requires third-party subpoena notification
From Reporter Committee for Freedom of the Press: In response to the recent controversy about The Associated Press phone records subpoena, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that would expand the existing shield law for the state's journali ...
Okla. legislator looks to broaden Open Records Act
From ctpost.com: OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state legislator on Tuesday quizzed two court clerks over why public court records aren't readily available online during a hearing examining broadening Oklahoma's Open Records Act. Norman Republican Rep. Aaron Stiles requested Tuesday's interim study before the House Judiciary Committee to review how the act applies to certain court files. Visit ctpost.com for more. ====== ...
Residents question town manager’s meetings
From delmarvanow.com: DEWEY BEACH — Citizens express concern about Town Manager Marc Applebaum’s meetings with members of the local business community, saying he should be subjected to open meeting laws, noticed and conducted in public, citing officials promise of more transparency last year after their published agendas violated the Freedom of Information Act rules. read more ...
Opinion: Are pre-denial claims communications admissable in court?
From Property Casualty 360: The attorney work-product privilege is one of the three primary privileges incorporated into Exemption 5 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5). It protects materials prepared by an attorney or others in anticipation of litigation, ostensibly shielding materials that would disclose the attorney’s theory of the case or trial strategy. President Lyndon B. Johnson originally signed FOIA into law by on July 4, 1966 and it went into effect the following year. [...] read more ...
U.S. Chamber applauds passage of nation’s strongest outside counsel sunshine law in Wisconsin
From Fort Mill Times: WASHINGTON -- Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), issued the following statement today applauding the Wisconsin Senate for passing legislation promoting transparency and limiting ...
City denies Fairview public records request
From Daily Pilot: Costa Mesa officials have denied a public records request for a 20-year-old archaeological study about the Fairview Indian Site. The Daily Pilot, which filed the request Sept. 23, had sought a copy of the 1993 report, conducted ...
Hawaii news media seek court ruling on open trials
From Honolulu Civil Beat: News organizations throughout the state are asking the Hawaii Supreme Court to make it clear that a judge can't close a criminal trial or hear arguments in secret unless the press and public are first given a chance to ob ...
Peter Scheer: NYT still has the power to alter the facts of the very story on which it is reporting
From First Amendment Coalition: Long gone are the days when major newspapers and network news operations had the power, through their selection of stories, to set the political agenda. That's a change for the better, to be sure. But the best of the ancient media regime are still peerless in their ability to compel change in the actions of the people and institutions they report on. read more ...
Gene Policinski: Tough decision ahead for all on ‘shield law’ definition
From StatesmanJournal.com: We’re all facing a tough decision by Congress later this year -- and it’s not about the federal budget or national health care policy. A question that ultimately will affect us all involves a bill with the innocuous name “Free Flow of Information Act.” In other words, it’s a proposal to create -- for the first time legislatively -- a national “shield law” aimed at protecting news sources and the confidential information they have provided from having to be disclosed by journalists facing a subpoena or federal grand jury. read more ...
Proposed ballot inspection rule unnecessary, county clerks say
From The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction): The Colorado Secretary of State's office is considering new election rules that would include in the definition of damaged ballots those with any markings that might identify the voter. The new rule would require each ballot to be physically inspected by elections officials, which would delay vote tabulations and require more staff, said Mesa County Clerk Sheila Reiner. Reiner said current law requires clerks to inspect each ballot for such markings only if someone files a Colorado Open Records Act request. The person or group that makes such requests is then charged for the ...
