The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, will host a virtual discussion of transparency in the Keystone State in celebration of Sunshine Week. The event will bring together journalists, media law attorneys, researchers and transparency advocates to talk about the challenges and successes of…
Recent news
Webinar to examine how citizens play a role in responsive government
The New England First Amendment Coalition and the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications are celebrating Sunshine Week with an online expert panel discussion called Keeping the Light On: Holding Government Accountable. Click here to read more or to register….
New Hampshire college students to share story of fighting for public access
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — The City of Keene denied the Right-to-Know requests of five Keene State College journalism students made as part of a an annual classroom assignment. The students decided to fight back. Hear their story at 7 p.m. Eastern Thursday, March 18, 2021. Read more at register at Right to Know New Hampshire….
D.C. Open Government Summit will examine school transparency and the impact of the pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 2021 D.C. Open Government Summit will examine public and charter school transparency, the coronavirus pandemic’s ongoing impact on government records access, and the views regarding government transparency of two recently elected City Council members. This year, the annual Sunshine Week event – sponsored by the D.C. Open Government Coalition; the Society…
Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council names ‘Opee’ winners
This year’s Openness in Government (Opee) Awards recognize Wisconsin’s largest newspaper for its dogged records-based coverage of the pandemic and its commitment to the cause of transparency in government, as well as a government agency that led the way in providing a maximum amount of information on COVID-19. Other winners include a municipal judge who…
Michigan open government group names first executive director as Sunshine Week nears
LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Coalition for Open Government (MiCOG) has selected Steve Delie as its first executive director, bringing on board an attorney who specializes in open government issues at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to further MiCOG’s mission of making government more accountable to citizens. The appointment comes just before the start…
Virginia bill opens inactive criminal investigative files to public
A Virginia bill, if signed by the governor, will open more law enforcement records to public inspection. The legislation will open inactive or completed criminal investigative files. Open records and criminal justice advocates say law enforcement agencies have concealed their files, frustrating efforts to hold police accountable and to overturn wrongful convictions. “Departments all over…
Kentucky bill raises alarms for letting the ‘fox guard the henhouse’
Kentucky House Bill 312 has open government advocates on high alert. The bill would strip the courts of the ability to decide which legislative records must be made public, leaving such decisions to 16 members of the House and Senate. It “lets the fox guard the henhouse,” opponents of the legislation say. The bill also…
Georgia coalition joins parent’s fight to access school’s COVID-19 data
The Georgia First Amendment Foundation says the school district intentionally delayed access to public records based on erroneous interpretation of state law. To read more, click here….
NFOIC signs letter to President Biden: Bring back transparency
“The undersigned civil society organizations write to urge you to take bold presidential action now to carry out your pledge to ‘bring transparency and truth back to government.’” Signed by 43 organizations, including @NFOIC. http://ow.ly/wSjA50DGu9U…