COVID-19

Journalism, Public Records Laws April 10, 2020

More than 60 journalism organizations sign letter to Gov. Polis regarding COVID-19 information and transparency

We write today to request that you take a few additional actions that we feel would greatly help to ensure journalists throughout the state are best equipped to tell the stories that must be told. Our primary objectives are to keep the public informed, to accurately chronicle the events of this unprecedented period – to write the “first rough draft of history” – and to report on how government officials, local business and civic leaders, and communities are responding.

Court Records, Public Records Laws April 2, 2020

Some Colorado governments put public records requests on the back burner during the pandemic

Some government entities in Colorado are delaying responses to public records requests because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the disruption of day-to-day transparency obligations so far doesn’t seem as severe here as in other parts of the country.

Open Meetings Laws March 25, 2020

Doing the public’s business by Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic

Lakewood City Attorney Tim Cox called it “almost a chicken and egg situation.” For city council members to legally conduct electronic meetings – like the one they were conducting via Zoom when Cox spoke to them Monday evening – they had to pass an emergency ordinance to allow electronic meetings.

First Amendment, Journalism, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws March 20, 2020

Recommit to transparency during COVID-19 pandemic, CFOIC and other groups urge governments

The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition joined 131 other transparency-minded organizations in urging state, local and tribal governments across the United States “to recommit to, and not retrench from, their duty to include the public in the policy-making process, including policies relating to COVID-19 as well as the routine ongoing functions of governance.”

First Amendment, Journalism March 17, 2020

Colorado Press Association, CFOIC letter to Gov. Polis regarding news reporting and COVID-19

Colorado Press Association and Colorado Freedom of Information sent the following joint letter to Gov. Jared Polis on March 16 regarding news operations and COVID-19.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2020, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws March 16, 2020

Coronavirus and Colorado’s Sunshine Law

As the COVID-19 pandemic forces everybody to consider limiting their exposure to other people, local elected officials are starting to think about how they can do the public’s business virtually without violating the Colorado Open Meetings Law.

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