Iowa FOI Resources
Quick Information | FOI Hotline | Contacts | Form Letters | Publications
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
(A member of NFOIC)
Drake University
Journalism Department
Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone (515) 271-2295
Fax (515) 271-2798
Contact: Kathleen Richardson, Executive Secretary
http://www.ifoic.org/
Email kathleen.richardson@drake.edu
QUICK FOI INFORMATION
Open Meetings Law Iowa Code §21.1 et seq.
Closed: 12 exemptions, check code citation.
Open Records Law Iowa Code §22.1 et seq.
State access law has 65 exemptions including personal information of public school students, hospital and medical records, trade secrets, peace officers' investigative reports, and attorney work related to litigation.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA
FOI HOTLINE
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
(515) 271-2295
Contact: Kathleen Richardson
Email kathleen.richardson@drake.edu
http://www.ifoic.org
"The Iowa FOI Council is a coalition of journalists, librarians, lawyers, educators and other Iowans interested in open government. We welcome your questions, your comments and your support."
CONTACTS
Office of the Attorney General
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone (515) 281-5164
Fax (515) 281-4209
http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/
Email webteam@ag.state.ia.us
Iowa Newspaper Association
319 E. Fifth St.
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone (515) 244-2145
Fax (515) 244-4855
http://www.inanews.com
Iowa State Bar Association
521 East Locust
Des Moines, IA 50309-1939
Phone (515) 243-3179
http://www.iowabar.org/
State Sunshine Chair
Rox A. Laird
Editorial writer, Des Moines Register
P.O. Box 957
Des Moines, IA 50304
Work Phone (515) 284-8097
rlaird@dmreg.com
Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman
Ola Babcock Miller Building
1112 East Grand
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Phone (515) 281-3592
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/ombudsman/
Email ombudsman@legis.state.ia.us
FORM LETTERS
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100
Arlington, Virginia 22209
Phone (800) 336-4243 or (703) 807-2100
Email rcfp@rcfp.org
FOIA Letter Generator
Student Press Law Center
1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100
Arlington, Virginia 22209
Phone (703) 807-1904
Email splc@splc.org
Request Letter Generator
PUBLICATIONS
Keeping Iowa Open: A Guide to the State's Access Laws and the Courts Des Moines, IA: Iowa Freedom of Information Council, no date indicated.
This includes information about the Iowa Public Records Law.
Price: Free
Order from:
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
114 Meredith Hall
Drake University
Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone (515) 271-2295<
Iowa Expanded Media Coverage Handbook 4th ed. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Freedom of Information Council, 1997. 38 p.
The free handbook includes the guidelines of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and the rules regulating the use of cameras and electronic broadcasting equipment in the courtroom. Regional media coordinators are appointed by the Freedom of Information Council to coordinate expanded media coverage for court proceedings. These coordinators are listed in the handbook.
Format: Handbook. 6 in.
Order from:
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
See previous entry.
Iowa Open Meetings, Open Records Handbook 11th ed. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Freedom of Information Council, 2005. 63 p.
The handbook contains the text of Iowa law on open meetings and public records. The text is followed by a series of questions and answers about how the laws are applied and interpreted.
Price: $2.00
Format: Handbook. 6 in. or online at http://www.ifoic.org/
Or order from:
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
See previous entry.
Open Government Guide from the
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press