Open gov advocates face obstacles when publishing state codes
Transparency advocates in the U.S. are facing legal obstacles to moving state codes online. Though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 200 years ago that government work can’t be copyrighted, a tug of war...
View ArticleCovert electronic surveillance prompts calls for transparency
Law enforcement officials across the U.S. have become enamored of the StingRay, an electronic surveillance device that can covertly track criminal suspects and is being used with little public...
View ArticleMake Iowa juvenile court records private, group told
The court records of convicted juveniles in Iowa should be confidential and unavailable for public review, a move that would help youth who have completed probation turn their lives around, according...
View ArticleSunlight Foundation: Why should cities have an open data policy?
As more cities break into the world of transparency, policy remains an important piece of the open data puzzle. But just how relevant and important is an open data policy to a successful open data...
View ArticleStudy: Ohio Supreme Court most often rules against open records
The Ohio Supreme Court, which serves as the ultimate referee in fights for public records, most often sides with the government, a new analysis from the Ohio Coalition for Open Government shows.read more
View ArticleSupreme Court testimony: Records rules for the state judicial branch ‘do not...
The Colorado Supreme Court heard Thursday from a state lawmaker and members of the public who are concerned about proposed regulations that will govern access to the administrative records of the...
View ArticleSanté Fe Reporter: Faux transparency
About two years ago, Hanna Skandera, then secretary-designate of the New Mexico Public Education Department, started repeating a number. Under the state’s old teacher evaluation system, she would say...
View ArticleIn Connecticut, open government foes are winning
With eroded powers and under continuing attack, Connecticut's first-of-a-kind Freedom of Information Act turns 40 on Thursday.read more
View ArticleArkansas judge dismisses complaint against schools over mascot
A Sebastian County judge on Thursday ruled that the Fort Smith School District and its School Board were in compliance with the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, stating that the district properly...
View ArticleFOIA debate continues in Cleveland
Mayor Rick Lindell said Thursday he will call trustees to set a meeting later this month on finances. A planned Sept. 24 meeting didn’t happen, with Mayor Lindell saying he’s been busy and there's a...
View ArticleNew city websites facilitate transparency
The city of Atlanta has announced the creation of three new websites that will give residents access to financial and departmental data. The three websites, Data Atlanta portal, Atlanta Budget...
View ArticleEmails on private devices, FOIA issue goes back to court
llinois law says government officials' emails about taxpayer business are public records for all to see. But what if they're sent from private accounts or personal cellphones?read more
View ArticleN.J. judge: Police videos may soon be 'shielded in secrecy'
Public access to footage from police dashboard cameras and body cameras in New Jersey may be in jeopardy if an appellate court ruling in June is allowed to stand, warns Middlesex County state Superior...
View ArticleEditorial: Public shut out in Ohio
When Ohioans find their access to government thwarted and sue to assert their open-government rights, the odds are stacked against them in the Ohio Supreme Court. So finds a recent analysis by the...
View ArticleVermont Secretary of State plans transparency tour
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos plans a third biennial "Transparency Tour." The tour will stop at 12 locations across the state to discuss Vermont’s public records and open meeting laws with...
View ArticleEditorial: New York law hides police misconduct from the public
The uniquely restrictive New York State law that is used to conceal the disciplinary histories of police officers — even some who have committed crimes — reared its head again last week in misconduct...
View ArticleCalifornia's approval of funding bill continues State Bar reforms
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the State Bar of California’s annual dues bill, allowing the agency to collect dues and stay in business another year. But mandates under Senate Bill 387 include new...
View ArticleFlorida Democrats demand map-drawing transparency
Florida Democrats are demanding the public be allowed "real time" access into the behind-the-scenes process of map drawing being conducted by House and Senate staff in preparation for next week's...
View ArticleSF’s Prop. splits allies over open government
It’s typically impossible to find any San Francisco politician or community group opposed to more openness in government, but Proposition E has managed to do just that.read more
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NFOIC Names New Officers/Board Members at 2015 Annual FOI Summit
News Release October 11, 2015 Contact: Dan Bevarly • 239.823.1811dbevarly@nfoic.org read more
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