Va.: Lawmakers vote for four ways to increase government secrecy

bill that would make deliberately ignoring citizens' Freedom of Information Act requests a firing offense died in a state Senate committee Monday.

The Senate General Laws committee also voted to shield records related to bingo and other charitable gambling supplies, as well as making confidential engineering and construction plans for single-family houses filed with local building officials to ensure compliance with state building codes.

Continue…

More

Opinion: It’s time to break the Alaska Legislature’s habit of secrecy

Legislators are meeting in secret in Juneau on momentous questions that could shape the future of Alaska for decades.

It’s no secret they disagree about the budget, oil taxes, oil tax credits, the return of the income tax, increases in other taxes, whether to restructure the Alaska Permanent Fund and the formula for the Permanent Fund dividend.  

More

Opinion: When government draws the shades

Several recent events in North Georgia involving government transparency — or the lack thereof — prompted friends and colleagues in other parts of the country to ask whether I am living in some 18th century time warp, as they frequently perceive this portion of the country, where absolutists reign with absolute disregard for their subjects.

More

Opinion: Government bears burden of showing why secrecy needed

Finding the balance between the public’s right to know about government and government’s position that national security and other vital concerns should prevent sharing of certain information is the ongoing struggle in our democracy.

Amid so many potential threats to our security, with Sept. 11, 2001, always there to remind us what CAN happen, the willingness of even the most staunch advocates of open government to argue for secrecy is a reality.

More

Another Wikileaks disclosure

The latest from Wikileaks suggests U.S. may be limiting consumer information in move purportedly aimed at patent protections. Is it sound policy, or misguided secrecy? Does it protect industry interests or consumers?
http://bloom.bg/Id5OAV

More