The Maine House of Representatives decisively rejected an attempt to create a dangerous exemption to Maine’s Freedom of Access Act, which guarantees access to public records. From the ACLU: LD 1805, “An Act to Implement Recommendations of the Right to Know Advisory Committee Concerning a Public Records Exception for Proposed Legislation, Reports and Working Papers [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: governors, Maine, proposed exemptions | Leave a Comment »
In a classic example of cloak-and-dagger lawmaking, a Tennessee legislative committee tacked a secrecy provision onto a completely unrelated piece of legislation with no advance notice to anyone… Tennessee lawmakers want to close the door on teacher performance to parents and the media, keeping all aspects of educators’ new evaluations confidential. A new measure is [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: Education reform, proposed exemptions, teacher evaluation records, Tennessee | 2 Comments »
A bill introduced in the General Assembly to shield professors at state universities from politics-driven public record requests has been withdrawn after its House sponsor concluded no new law was needed. The Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Press Association, which had opposed the bill at public hearings, hailed the decision by Del. Sandy Rosenberg as “good news.” [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: Colleges and Universities, Maryland, professors, proposed exemptions | Leave a Comment »
Well, they may as well have named this mind-bogglingly bad bill that, for it will effectively provide the most secretive and untraceable communications (read influence-peddling) channel in any state anywhere. This is the single worst FOI exemption I have seen in years: People filing Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, requests may not be permitted [...]
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Privacy, proposed exemptions, third persons, Virginia | Leave a Comment »
As always, it depends on how the sausage is ground: State senators approved a public records bill Monday after changing it to keep secret from the public many documents that show how elected officials make decisions. The bill — Senate File 25 — also would prohibit the public from seeing correspondence that is sent to [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: foi reform, proposed exemptions, Wyoming | Leave a Comment »
Yeah, I wonder how this would work out? Raising the hackles of watchdogs throughout the state, Rep. Chris Murphy of Summerville has proposed amendments to the state’s Freedom of Information Act statute ”to protect the integrity of the criminal trial process” and to bring it in line with federal and neighboring state laws. The amendment, concerned [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: Law Enforcement, proposed exemptions, South Carolina | Leave a Comment »
Miracles never cease… A state Senate committee has killed a bill to close concealed-weapons permit information to public view. Del. Mark Cole, R–Spotsylvania, said he brought the bill because he doesn’t think concealed-carry permits should be public, the way marriage licenses and divorce decrees are. “This would treat the concealed-carry permit info similar to how [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: gun permits, proposed exemptions, Virginia | Leave a Comment »
A bad idea percolates in Arizona.. Advocates for government transparency are objecting to language in an education bill that would prevent the public from reviewing school principals’ performance appraisals. At present, whether the public has access to those performance appraisals depends largely on the policies of individual school districts. But HB 2823, authored by Rep. [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: Arizona, performance reviews, principals, proposed exemptions | Leave a Comment »
Secret economic development…always a bad idea, rears its ugly head in Tennessee: A bill that would restrict access to economic development records is drawing fire, with critics arguing it could open a door to corruption. A measure proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam to clear up disclosure laws has hit a barrier in the state Senate, [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: economic development secrecy, proposed exemptions, Tennessee | Leave a Comment »
Two bills that would make it easier to obtain concealed handguns permits and keep the information secret has won easy passage in the House of Delegates. A bill that would shield records of concealed weapons permit holders from public inspection passed 81-17 Wednesday. In March 2007, many of the names on the list were made [...]
Filed under: 3. Access law | Tagged: Concealed carry in the United States, handgun permits, proposed exemptions | 1 Comment »
