Legislature Archives - Page 35 of 37 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

3 Apr, 2014

Bill allowing anonymity to sexual assault victims moves forward

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:38:53-05:00April 3, 2014|Categories: crime records, Legislature|Tags: crime records, legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, sexual assault records|0 Comments

From Tom Humphrey's Humphrey on Hill blog on the sexual assault victims bill: After being narrowed from its original scope, legislation to keep some information about rape victims from the public advanced in both the House and Senate on Wednesday. As introduced, the bill by Sen. Becky Massey of Knoxville and Rep. Mary Littleton of Dickson, would have made confidential all identifying information about the victim of a sexual assault from the outset of an investigation by law enforcement into the crime. With amendments since then, the bill (HB2361) would apply only after a defendant had been found guilty either by trial or plea agreement and only keep confidential the name, address, [...]

11 Mar, 2014

Bill to close lottery records fails in committee

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:34:26-05:00March 11, 2014|Categories: Legislature|Tags: legislature, lottery records, open records, Open Records Act exemptions|0 Comments

Proposed legislation to make the name of lottery winners confidential and not subject to the state's Open Records Act failed on a 2-4 vote in the Senate State and Local Government committee this morning. State Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, said she brought S.B. 2060 to protect lottery winners who might be harassed or scammed by others trying to get some of their windfall. She said she sought the bill after an issue was raised by a constituent. She said the bill would have allowed lottery winners to "opt in" on whether their name could be disclosed by the lottery. Wanda Wilson, the general counsel of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp., testified [...]

5 Mar, 2014

Proposal to stream state agency meetings on Internet hampered by high cost

By Deborah Fisher|2014-05-07T02:44:07-05:00March 5, 2014|Categories: Legislature, Open Meetings|Tags: legislature, Tennessee Open Meetings Act, video|1 Comment

By Deborah Fisher, Executive Director, TCOG A bill that would require state agency meetings to be streamed live over the Internet was approved unanimously by the Senate State and Local Government Committee yesterday and referred to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee. SB1734 would create a new chapter in the law known as the "Tennessee Streaming Video Act" and would apply to "any department, commission, board, office or other agency of the executive branch of state government." The bill passed after state Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, told the committee that he was working to amend it to bring the fiscal note down or remove it. The bill would apply to the public [...]

3 Mar, 2014

Metro Pulse write about sex crime secrecy bill

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T16:14:36-05:00March 3, 2014|Categories: crime records, Legislature|Tags: crime records, legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, sexual assault records|0 Comments

Reporter Paige Huntoon writes in Metro Pulse in Knoxville about a bill that would make information about sex crimes secret. She interviews the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville, as well as the state police chiefs association which brought it to Massey to carry. Also interviewed is Tennessee Coalition for Open Government and the Tennessee Press Association, which is seeking revisions so less information about sex crimes would be secret from the public. Huntoon reports that Massey is open to revising the bill to address concerns. Here is a link to Huntoon's story: "Broadly written sex crimes bill attracts concerns, criticism from press and open-records advocates" [...]

27 Feb, 2014

Bill would make lottery winners secret

By Deborah Fisher|2017-03-17T14:58:21-05:00February 27, 2014|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: legislature, lottery records, Open Records Act exemptions|0 Comments

A measure that would require the state lottery to include a warning label (“You will probably lose money playing the lottery”) is finding favor as it works its way through the legislature. But for those who, against all odds, actually win, perhaps another warning is needed: You will probably be hounded by cousins you didn't even know you had. State Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, seeks to help those lucky few avoid such annoyances by striking the names of lottery winners from the public record. If a winner expressly allows it, the state lottery could release the name "for marketing, advertising, or promotional purposes." Otherwise, the public doesn't get to know. Bowling [...]