Deborah Fisher, Author at Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

27 Dec, 2021

Lawsuit challenges use of deliberative process privilege to keep McKinsey report secret

By Deborah Fisher|2021-12-28T11:20:32-06:00December 27, 2021|Categories: deliberative process privilege, Public Records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: deliberative process privilege, Department of Human Resources, McKinsey and Co., Ron Harris, Thomas Wesley|1 Comment

A Nashville citizen has sued the state for refusing to release a government efficiency report prepared by an outside consultant in connection with the state's COVID-19 response. The state's Department of Human Resources claims the analysis by McKinsey and Co. is confidential because it is subject to the "deliberative process privilege" and contains information related to "operational vulnerabilities." The Tennessean has reported the McKinsey analysis, delivered in September 2020, cost the state $1.59 million in taxpayer dollars.

16 Nov, 2021

Despite pushes for more accountability, economic development remains opaque in Tennessee

By Deborah Fisher|2021-11-16T13:14:06-06:00November 16, 2021|Categories: economic development|Tags: ECD, economic development records, Megasite Authority of West Tennessee, Open Records Act exemptions, proprietary records, tax credits, trade secrets|1 Comment

Taxpayers don't know what they are getting for their money despite some lawmakers pushing for more accountability and information. Why? A web of exceptions to Tennessee's Public Records laws and lack of meaningful reporting on outcomes prevent transparency in the state's economic development programs.

18 Oct, 2021

New megasite authority could operate with secrecy under proposed bill

By Deborah Fisher|2021-10-19T07:15:10-05:00October 18, 2021|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: economic development, Gov. Bill Lee, Megasite Authority of West Tennessee, proprietary records|1 Comment

The proposed bill that would create the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee with the power to approve a half-billion dollar grant to Ford Motor Co. offers another coveted power: megasecrecy.

21 Sep, 2021

U. of Memphis withdraws proposal to inspect cell phones, charge when someone takes picture of public record

By Deborah Fisher|2021-09-23T09:01:07-05:00September 21, 2021|Categories: requests|Tags: fees for public records, photos of public records, public records rules, rulemaking hearings, University of Memphis|0 Comments

The University of Memphis has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have required public records requestors who took pictures of public records to hand over their phone so the university could check it for what they photographed and would have allowed the university to charge the person a "production cost" even though the university itself did not produce the copies.

21 Sep, 2021

Memphis shelter hides records based on animal privacy rights

By Deborah Fisher|2021-09-21T12:47:20-05:00September 21, 2021|Categories: Public Records|Tags: animals, medical records, Memphis Animal Services, privacy, Tennessee Department of Health|0 Comments

The Memphis city shelter has decided to no longer disclose medical treatment records of the animals in its care upon a public records request, claiming animals have a right to privacy over their medical records.

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About Deborah Fisher