open records – Page 6 – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Kansas lawmakers want to limit release of police video

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Kansas lawmakers are working to restrict public access to law enforcement body camera footage in an effort to protect the privacy of people caught on camera.

A bill introduced by the House judiciary committee last week would limit release of the video to the people in the footage, their attorneys and their parents if they are minors. The public would have access to footage only through a court order. A judge could release the recordings if it is in the public’s interest or if it wouldn’t interfere with a police investigation.

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Aid for wrongfully convicted in Wisconsin could create open records problem

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A Wisconsin bill that would increase compensation for people wrongly convicted of crimes has open records advocates worried over what it would do to court records.

The bipartisan bill from Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie) would help the wrongly convicted with up to $50,000 per year spent behind bars, plus transitional services and access to state health insurance.

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Utah police camera bills differ on what to make public

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Civil liberties advocates say one of two proposals to regulate police body cameras in Utah this year would give law enforcement too much leeway and would exempt videos of fatal shootings from open records laws.

The proposal, from Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, makes body camera footage a private government record if it shows "images of nudity, death or gruesome events," or was recorded while an officer is serving a search warrant or needed permission to enter a private location.

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Michigan Attorney General wants to broaden open-records law

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Michigan's top law enforcement official says the governor's office should no longer be exempt from public-records requests.

Michigan is one of just two states with a blanket exemption for the governor and the executive office from open-records requests. Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette said Tuesday the "reset button has been pushed" because of crisis over Flint's water being contaminated with lead, and he is hopeful that lawmakers will broaden the law.

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Bill to close loophole in Kansas Open Records Act advances to Senate floor

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Kansas lawmakers are moving forward with efforts to close a loophole in the state’s open records law that allows public officials to use private e-mail to conduct official business.

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Virginia bill advances to keep more officials’ salaries secret

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A measure aimed at keeping more information about public employees' pay out of the public eye won approval from a key Virginia Senate panel Tuesday, but the group narrowed the scope of legislation that could have kept secret all information about chemicals used in fracking.

The Senate General Laws Committee's Freedom of Information subcommittee asked for more study of legislation that would give two-thirds of Virginia counties and more than half of its cities twice as much time to respond to FOIA requests.

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Editorial: At what price? Increasing cost of open government in New Hampshire

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Should we charge a toll when a Manchester resident wants to walk into City Hall?

Manchester Rep. Patrick Long wants to increase the cost of open government by allowing public officials to charge people directly for doing their jobs.

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Missouri bill would define open records access for police cameras

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A Kansas City-area Republican is sponsoring a bill that would set limits on when police camera footage is public record in Missouri.

The bill would block access to body camera recordings shot in homes, hospitals and schools unless the investigation is closed and someone in the video requests it.

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Does keeping hazardous rail cargo secret make Maine safer?

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Information revealing when, where and how much hazardous material is shipped by rail through Maine became sealed from public view under state law earlier this month, in a move first responders hope will allow them greater access to information about dangerous materials passing through the state.

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Editorial: Ensure access to body cam video

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As Denver police get ready to introduce its body camera program next month, the department must do a better job of defining public access to the video.

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