Opening police records to routine and systematic public scrutiny is the way to stop officer misconduct, argues First Amendment Coalition Executive Director David Snyder in an op-ed published in The Mercury News. Snyder wrote in support of California bills to enhance police transparency, including SB 16, which would require disclosure of records related to misconduct. […]
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NFOIC signs brief, urging access to opinions of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
The National Freedom of Information Coalition, along with 30 other organizations, signed a Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press amicus brief in support of greater access to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opinions and orders. Several organizations in recent years have sought access to the specialized court’s opinions. In April 2021, the American Civil Liberties […]
Planning boards across New York State violate open meetings law, coalition’s study finds
In a March 2021 study of 20 town planning boards in New York State, only 25 percent posted meeting documents online as required by the New York Open Meetings Law. The New York Coalition for Open Government reviewed town websites across the state to determine if meeting documents were posted online before the meeting. The […]
Learn more about misunderstood law during ‘HIPAA and Public Records’ online lesson
Learn about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, one of the most misunderstood laws, with instructor Adam A. Marshall, a senior staff attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “HIPAA and Public Records” is hosted by the New England First Amendment Coalition, as part of its 30 Minute Skills […]
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Texas legislators pass transparency bills, but open government work remains unfinished
Texas lawmakers approved two transparency measures to ensure greater access to public records after some governments closed off information during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are certainly glad lawmakers made these important improvements to Texas open government laws,” said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. “And a number of legislators […]
No, a Colorado school district didn’t violate FERPA when it released video of bus incident
Virginia lawmaker wants to cut FOIA fees, but some in government are pushing back
Danica Roem, a former journalist who serves in the Virginia House of Delegates, has introduced legislation requiring Virginia public bodies to fulfill records requests for free, unless the request takes more than two hours of staff time to fulfill. Critics of the bill said FOIA requests sometimes are used to “harass” public officials, and the […]
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Project analyzes police misconduct record laws in all 50 states
A project funded by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting finds that most states keep police misconduct records secret or difficult to access. But 15 states have laws allowing such records to be available to the public. That’s an increase from a few years ago. The project analyzed police misconduct record laws in all 50 […]
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News Leaders Association honors First Amendment Award winners for advancing Freedom of Information principles
Journalists uncovered decades of New York police disciplinary records, detailed a university’s handling of sexual misconduct claims, and investigated deaths inside detention facilities. Their efforts have been recognized by the News Leaders Association, which announced its 2021 First Amendment Award recipients on May 12, 2021. The awards recognize “the best journalism advancing Freedom of Information […]
Rules on releasing police body-camera footage vary; nine states are most restrictive, The Hill says
Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming have the most restrictive laws regarding the disclosure of police body-camera recordings. That’s according to a May 10, 2021, article in The Hill. “With no federal requirements on releasing police videos, states often differ in their approach to making the footage publicly available, […]