Author: NFOIC

The Florida Department of Health wants nearly $17,000 to hand over public records about the state’s coronavirus vaccine prioritization and distribution plan — a high financial barrier preventing the release of documents that could shed light on a process that’s been a confusing, bureaucratic headache. In mid-December, VICE News submitted a public records request asking […]

Read More… from Florida wants $17,000 to release documents about COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The following is David Cuillier’s editor’s note for the December 2020 edition of the Journal of Civic Information. To read the edition, please click here. —————— This is a societal illness that will linger for years, perhaps decades. I am referring to civic information secrecy, not COVID-19. After nearly a year of worldwide restrictions intended to […]

Read More… from Government secrecy: A sickness that lingers

Nominations are open for the First Amendment Coalition’s Free Speech & Open Government Award, given each year to recognize significant achievement in advancing freedom of information and expression. The award recognizes outstanding accomplishment, service or other contributions to the advancement of free expression or the people’s right to know about their government. The winner could […]

Read More… from Entries accepted for national FOI awards offering cash prizes

Although the FBI reported in September that murder was up almost 15 percent, based on data from agencies that reported three to six months of comparable data for both 2019 and 2020, the antiquated national crime data collection and reporting system makes it hard to confidently say what is causing the spike or what can […]

Read More… from National crime data reporting models called ‘severely broken’

For the second time in two days, the Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Clark County’s attempts to withhold unredacted child autopsies, requiring that the records be released to the Review-Journal. The county had filed an emergency request late Tuesday, asking that the state high court revisit its initial ruling, which ordered that the records […]

Read More… from Nevada Supreme Court again orders autopsy records released

Strong freedom of information laws aren’t enough to fix long-standing  political and social problems, a new study published in Government Information Quarterly suggests. “However, knowledge of the impacts of transparency policies on corruption is limited,” wrote researcher Maria Zuffova, of  The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom. “Are FOI laws and open government data […]

Read More… from Strong FOI laws aren’t enough to fight corruption, study says

Freedom of information advocates are mourning the loss of Tim Crews, 77, who rose to national prominence while editing a twice-weekly newspaper in Glenn County, California. His regular efforts to pry loose government information also led him to become president of California Aware, a member of the National Freedom of Information Coalition. Crews died in […]

Read More… from California coalition regroups after death of legendary president

A big challenge for government transparency advocates is making the cause relevant to everyday people. Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, explained how he tries to rise to this challenge during an in-depth interview with KNIA-KRLS Radio.  “As I remind government officials, the government doesn’t belong to government officials. It […]

Read More… from Longtime advocate in Iowa tells transparency story

Freedom of information advocates celebrated Tuesday’s decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The “decision is massively good news for requesters using Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law,” Erik Arneson, the executive director of Open Records Pennsylvania, tweeted.  Arneson also offered background on the case: Corrections. It began with a 2014 request for records related to illnesses contracted by inmates and […]

Read More… from Pennsylvania Supreme Court supports Right-to-Know law