Deborah Fisher, Author at Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

22 May, 2019

2019 Legislative Report: New exemptions to Public Records Act, and bills that failed or were delayed

By Deborah Fisher|2021-10-14T14:32:58-05:00May 22, 2019|Categories: economic development, exemptions, Legislature, Public Records|Tags: 911 calls, anti-slapp, college sports, confidentiality agreements, economic development, harassment, jail booking mug shots, juvenile court records, meeting agendas, photos of public records, school bus video, settlement agreements, sexual harassment, tax credits, Tennessee State Museum, trade secrets, traffic accident reports|0 Comments

Following is a list of new public records exemptions and other public record laws passed by the 111th General Assembly, plus some proposals that failed or were delayed until next year. TCOG 2019 Legislative Report (If you would like to print this, here is the legislative report in PDF format without photos.) The new exemptions add to a list that is nearing 600. Citizens can expect some bills related to public records to re-emerge when the Legislature reconvenes Jan. 14, 2020. One of the more significant bills that was delayed, but attracted a lot of attention late in the session, would create a process for an injunction against a public [...]

18 May, 2019

Hamilton County School Board, Tennessee Risk Management Trust miss point on confidentiality agreement

By Deborah Fisher|2019-05-19T10:07:30-05:00May 18, 2019|Categories: Public Records, schools|Tags: confidentiality agreements, Hamilton County Board of Education, Office of Open Records Counsel, settlement agreements, Tennessee Risk Management Trust|0 Comments

The Hamilton County School Board's attorney on Wednesday finally revealed to school board members the settlement payout amount of $750,000 to a student sexually assaulted during a basketball tournament trip. Board attorney Scott Bennett has indicated that this amount was previously confidential because its insurer had entered into a confidentiality agreement with the student and his family. There is still another student with whom the school board's insurer reached a settlement payout. Bennett has not released that amount. The explanation is that the settlement is under seal in federal court. The Tennessee Attorney General and the Office of Open Records Counsel have both weighed in on the matter — and [...]

8 May, 2019

Tennessee Tech Trustees say students IDs not sufficient for public records requests

By Deborah Fisher|2019-05-08T07:49:14-05:00May 8, 2019|Categories: requests|Tags: identification, public records request, Tennessee Tech|0 Comments

Tennessee Tech trustees rejected a request from journalism students to use their student identification card to prove they lived in Tennessee for purposes of making a public records request. However, trustees refused to change their policy, but said they would allow out-of-state students without a Tennessee driver's license to show a utility bill, such as from their dorm or apartment, to prove their Tennessee residency. The students had gathered a petition with 150 signatures from students and faculty to change the policy after out-of-state students who worked for the student newspaper were denied access to public records. From left: Chairman Tom Jones, Trustee Johnny Stites, Tennessee Tech University President Phil [...]

29 Apr, 2019

Sociology professor studying immigration files public records suit against Knox County sheriff

By Deborah Fisher|2020-11-19T12:41:58-06:00April 29, 2019|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: arrest records, Knox County Sheriff, Meghan Conley, police records|0 Comments

A sociology professor who researches immigration enforcement has filed a public records lawsuit against the Knox County Sheriff, claiming the office has repeatedly violated the law in denying and delaying access to public records. Meghan Conley has made a series of requests over the past 19 months for records related to the sheriff's office's 287(g) program that started almost two years ago. Meghan Conley, a sociology professor at University of Tennessee, has filed a public records lawsuit against the Knox County Sheriff after making a series of public records request related to immigration enforcement. Under the 287(g) program, the Knox County Sheriff's Office is authorized by U.S. Immigration and Customs [...]

17 Apr, 2019

Bill to make 911 calls confidential to be worked on over summer

By Deborah Fisher|2019-04-17T13:38:26-05:00April 17, 2019|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: 911 calls|1 Comment

Legislation to make 911 calls and transmissions confidential was delayed after the House sponsor said he wanted to work more on the bill over the summer. State Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg, represents Marshall and part of Franklin, Lincoln, and Marion Counties. He has filed a bill to make 911 confidential. The bill, HB 335, would have created an exemption to the Tennessee Public Records Act for all 911 calls, making them only available for use by law enforcement, the courts and other governmental agencies. The Tennessee Press Association and Tennessee Association of Broadcasters lobbied against the bill, pointing out that access to 911 calls have led to numerous news stories [...]

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