Colorado House bill prohibits HOAs from banning signs and flags based on their message
Homeowners’ associations could not ban signs and flags based on their content or message under a bill making its way through the Colorado General Assembly.
First Amendment
Media literacy bill advances in Colorado legislature
Legislation creating an online media-literacy resource bank for Colorado public schools appears close to passing the General Assembly over the objections of some Republicans who say the measure is a governmental intrusion on free speech.
CFOIC’s Zansberg, Denver Post’s Migoya co-recipients of SPJ Colorado’s First Amendment Award for work that prompted new court records sealing standard
Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition president Steve Zansberg and Denver Post investigative reporter David Migoya are co-recipients of this year’s First Amendment Award from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Colorado Pro Chapter for work that prompted a new statewide standard for sealing and suppressing criminal court records.
CFOIC honors COLab founders with its Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award
The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition presented its highest honor, the Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award, to the founders of the Colorado News Collaborative, an innovative local media resource hub that is helping to strengthen local journalism statewide.
Digital communications bill amended to require a study — ‘I would never do anything to subvert the First Amendment,’ sponsor says
A bill “intended to spark conversation” about the power of digital communications platforms emerged from a Colorado Senate committee Tuesday with language requiring a study of how state lawmakers might address online consumer issues including privacy, the spread of disinformation and the promotion of violence.
Zansberg: Colorado’s new rule governing public access to judicial records in criminal cases ‘a tremendous leap forward’
The indisputably terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year 2020 ended with at least one bright spot in Colorado: On Dec. 17, the state Supreme Court formally adopted a new Rule of Criminal Procedure (Colo.R.Cr.P. 55.1) that sets both procedural and substantive standards for when a trial judge may “suppress” judicial records on file in criminal cases.
New judicial branch standard for sealing or suppressing criminal court records ‘increases transparency and builds public trust’
The Colorado Supreme Court’s adoption of a statewide standard for sealing and suppressing court records in criminal cases “is an extremely positive development that increases transparency and builds public trust in our judicial branch,” said Steve Zansberg, a First Amendment attorney and president of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition.
Can a home-rule city’s charter override the Colorado Open Meetings Law?
When the Fort Collins City Council went into an executive session Oct. 20, the announced purpose was to discuss “broadband issues,” a topic not expressly authorized in the Colorado Open Meetings Law for closed-door deliberations.
CFOIC report: It’s time to reevaluate CORA’s ‘unbalanced’ research-and-retrieval fee provision
This may come as a surprise to Coloradans who have been quoted hundreds or thousands of dollars by cities, state agencies, school districts and other government entities for “research and retrieval” in response to their public records requests: Not every state allows such charges.
Colorado Supreme Court holds public hearing on proposed rule for sealing and suppressing criminal court records
The Colorado Supreme Court moved closer to possibly adopting a statewide standard for guiding judges’ decisions to seal or suppress court records in criminal cases.