Legislature

21 Feb, 2014

News Sentinel: Privacy bill of no real help to sexual assault victims

By |2014-04-09T16:50:57-05:00February 21, 2014|Categories: crime records, exemptions, Legislature|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

This editorial was published by the Knoxville News Sentinel on Feb. 16, and reprinted here with permission: A bill that would ostensibly protect the privacy of sexual assault victims in Tennessee would actually endanger criminal prosecutions and do nothing to lessen the anguish of the people it purports to help. The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Knoxville Republican Becky Duncan Massey at the request of Metro Nashville government, would make all records containing virtually any information about a sexual assault victim confidential. “No portion of any report, paper, picture, photograph, video, court file, or other document in the custody or possession of any public officer or employee which identifies [...]

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12 Feb, 2014

The Tennessean: Bill would shield ID and personal information of rape victims

By |2014-04-09T16:49:44-05:00February 12, 2014|Categories: crime records, exemptions, Legislature|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

A Feb. 10 story by The Tennessean's crime and courts reporter Brian Haas, reprinted here with permission: Proposed state legislation pushed by Metro Nashville could hide information on rape cases from the public and prevent defense attorneys from discussing key evidence with their clients. Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, filed the bill at the behest of Metro’s legal department. The bill, if passed, would shield the identity and personal information of rape victims. But, as written, critics say it could not only turn rape into an “invisible crime,” but could also interfere with a defendant’s right to a fair trial by preventing attorneys from discussing key evidence with their clients. [...]

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10 Feb, 2014

Two lawmakers receive TPA’s open government award

By |2014-04-09T16:50:30-05:00February 10, 2014|Categories: Legislature|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Tennessee state Sen. Ken Yager, a Harriman Republican and chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee, and state Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, receive the Tennessee Press Association's 2014 Open Government Award. They are pictured here with TPA President Lynn Richardson. Two legislative leaders from East Tennessee are the 2014 recipients of the Tennessee Press Association’s coveted “Open Government Award.” The awards were presented to Sen. Ken Yager, a Harriman Republican and chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee, and Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, on Feb. 6 at TPA’s Convention and Winter Institute in Nashville. Haynes chairs the House State Government Committee. TPA President Lynn [...]

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27 Jan, 2014

An early look at bills that could reduce transparency

By |2014-04-09T16:57:36-05:00January 27, 2014|Categories: Legislature|Tags: , , |0 Comments

With the legislative session under way, the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government is tracking proposed bills that could reduce government transparency, as well as some that could make government more open. Lawmakers have until Feb. 5 to file bills, so the list could grow. Two bills would add broad new exceptions to the public records law. One, (S.B. 2254) by state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, would make confidential the names, addresses and telephone numbers of sexual assault victims. The bill as introduced, goes further with this blanket language: “No portion of any report, paper, picture, photograph, video, court file, or other document in the custody or possession of any [...]

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