Lawmakers scheduled eight bills for House and Senate committee hearings today that are related to public records and public meetings. Good government advocates and lobbyists for the working press can be found on both sides of the policy proposals, but they collectively represent a much larger trend playing out at the Capitol. “The number of […]
Tag: Louisiana Public Records Act
Judge: Louisiana Records Law Doesn’t Apply to Pipeline Plan
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s public records law doesn’t apply to a private, for-profit company building a 162-mile-long (261-kilometer) crude oil pipeline in the state, a judge said Thursday in rejecting a bid by environmental groups for access to company records. State District Court Judge Michael Caldwell said he sees no basis for compelling […]
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Louisiana Bill to create transparency website goes to full House
A legislative proposal to create a transparency website for fiscal matters that would give the “average constituent” the tool to root out “inefficiencies” and “waste” in state government unanimously sailed through the House Appropriations Committee Monday.
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LSU criticized for handling of public records lawsuit
From LSU Reveille: As the lawsuit brought against the University by The Advocate and NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune moves to the next phase of the legal process, critics have lined up to attack the University’s methods of carrying on with the case.
The main point of criticism has been the University’s accumulation of fees relating to the lawsuit, totaling more than $140,000 between attorney fees and penalties owed to the plaintiffs and contempt of court fines owed to the court.
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NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for September 27, 2013
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.
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Lawsuit seeks Jindal adviser’s correspondence with oil and gas industry
From The Advocate: A New Orleans environmental activist is suing the state for copies of correspondence she says could shed light on conversations between Gov. Bobby Jindal’s top coastal-protection adviser and the energy industry about a local flood-protection board’s decision to file a massive lawsuit against dozens of oil and gas companies.
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LSU board turns over presidential search records to district judge in public records lawsuit
From Daily Journal:
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — The LSU Board of Supervisors has given its presidential search records to a Baton Rouge judge, who will keep them hidden during an appeal of her ruling that the documents are public records.
LSU lawyer Jimmy Faircloth says the documents were delivered in two batches Tuesday to Judge Janice Clark.
Visit Daily Journal for more.
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LSU presidential search records will be given to judge, but not public, under new compromise
From The Times-Picayune: Information about the candidates LSU considered for university president will be provided to a state district judge, but not to the public or the newspapers who are suing for the information, under a new compromise between the attorneys in the case.
The information will be kept secret until LSU finishes its appeals process, which could take months.
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La. public records suit filed against superintendent
From Houston Chronicle: BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A college student from Baton Rouge who has clashed with the education department over its voucher program filed a public records lawsuit against Superintendent of Education John White.
Zack Kopplin, who attends Rice University, said White and the Department of Education have refused to provide documents he's sought about the voucher program and a law that allows public school science teachers to use supplemental materials in their classrooms.
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Judge: LSU board could face jail if search records not released
From The Advocate: Saying daily $500 fines have not grabbed its attention, an unyielding state judge warned the LSU Board of Supervisors on Monday that it now faces additional sanctions, including possible jail time, if it does not immediately comply with her more than four-month-old order to make public the records of its secret presidential search.
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