An annual review of the state Legislature’s record on open government issues reveals that while a dozen bills providing Sunshine Law exemptions won approval, only two were passed over objections from a leading open government watchdog group. The First Amendment Foundation took positions on 17 issues including proposals for additional exemptions, on which companion bills […]
Read More… from Southwest Florida lawmakers help add to Sunshine Law exemptions
Florida allows some of the easiest access to government records and meetings of any state in the country under the state's Sunshine Laws.
People have a right to access state documents like minutes from meetings between government officials, foster care case files and environmental studies. Government meetings for the most part are open to the public for anyone to attend.
This is obviously helpful to reporters, lawyers and investigators, but these records are available to anyone who requests them.
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Read More… from Access To Public Records In Florida May Change. Why You Should Care About It?
In a debate that could reshape how the state handles its Sunshine laws, Florida lawmakers are swiftly advancing a bill that proponents say will crack down on “economic terrorists” that are abusing state law by extorting money from governments through frivolous and misleading public records requests.
But opponents say the solution is an overreaction that will “gut” the state’s open records laws and permanently cloud its Sunshine Law tradition.
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Read More… from Will a one-word change wreck or improve Florida’s public records law?
From NFOIC: A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
Minnesota high court: Business not subject to open-records laws
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Read More… from NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for November 22, 2013
From Jacksonville.com: Six years after Jacksonville tightened its open-government rules over meetings violations involving City Council members, the city’s ethics director is championing an effort to loosen some requirements she argues are unproductive.
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Read More… from Bill aims to loosen Jacksonville’s open meetings law
From Historic City News:
Historic City News has been following Bills moving through the Legislature that would create new public records exemptions for things like voter email addresses, property insurance underwriting policies, and the data that determines 50 percent of teacher evaluations.
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Read More… from Public records exemptions discourage First Amendment Foundation
