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Open government highlights from

NFOIC State Coalitions

Florida First Amendment Foundation

Former U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh took over as president of the First Amendment Foundation on Dec. 1. Marsh, who served as U.S. attorney from 2010 to 2015 in the Northern District of Florida, will replace longtime FAF President Barbara Petersen, who retired after 25 years of service. Marsh is an attorney at the Tallahassee firm Ausley McMullen. (Read more)

New England First Amendment Coalition

NEFAC recently argued for the right to secretly record the public activities of government officials, including police officers. It joined an Oct. 4 amicus brief drafted by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Martin, et al v. Rollins, a case being heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The case involves the Massachusetts Wiretap Statute which prohibits the secret recording of government officials even as they perform their duties in public. (Read more)

Delaware Coalition for Open Government (DelCOG)

Delaware's coalition is working with State Rep. John Kowalko to reintroduce a bill creating an independent Office of the Inspector General to oversee government activities and to expand transparency and oversight of the General Assembly when ethical concerns are raised. (Read more)

Georgia First Amendment Foundation

The foundation has released the sixth edition of its "Red Book," which is a collection of laws detailed and explained. Officially titled Sunshine Laws: A Guide to Open Government in Georgia, the book arms you with tools to exercise your right to obtain public records and attend meetings where decisions are made. For public officials, it provides a guide on how best to help citizens access the information they already own. The updated publication was partially grant-funded through NFOIC. (Read more)

Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas recently held its annual state conference in Austin. Attendees included journalists, First Amendment attorneys, public employees, elected officials and interested citizens, totaling approximately 150 people overall. The daylong conference featured panel discussions on newly passed Texas open government laws; police transparency and accountability; and best practices for using the Texas Public Information Act. The luncheon keynote speaker was state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, who this year led the effort along with Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, to successfully pass major contracting transparency legislation. The measure will take effect in January. (Read more)

2019 Biennial Open Government Survey

We need your help identifying current trends in public institutions for requests and access to public records. The survey polls members of NFOIC and other stakeholder organizations, including journalists, academics and media lawyers, and provides important information on the changes (and perceptions of change) in open government on the state and local level. Please share the survey with others in your state!

Take the Survey

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