Public Records Archives - Page 21 of 74 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

10 Feb, 2019

Tennessee lawmaker seeks to make 911 calls confidential

By Deborah Fisher|2019-02-11T08:12:54-06:00February 10, 2019|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: 911 calls, State Rep. Rick Tillis, State Sen. Shane Reeves|0 Comments

A Tennessee lawmaker is seeking to make 911 calls confidential. Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg, has filed HB 335 which would amend the Tennessee Public Records Act to say: 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. (1) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, 911 calls, transmissions, and recordings of an emergency communications district and emergency communications board under title 7, chapter 86, are confidential and may be used only for public safety purposes and as necessary for law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, dispatching, or other emergency services. (2) A 911 call, transmission, [...]

6 Feb, 2019

Listen to TCOG on the Grand Divisions podcast with Rep. Jason Zachary

By Deborah Fisher|2019-02-06T08:52:37-06:00February 6, 2019|Categories: exemptions, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Grand Divisions podcast, Open Record Ad Hoc Committee, State Rep. Jason Zachary|0 Comments

This week, I was interviewed along with state Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, on the Grand Divisions podcast about open government legislation. We primarily talked about a bill that will require a review of all existing 560-plus exemptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act. Zachary was the co-chair of an ad hoc joint committee, appointed by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and then-House Speaker Beth Harwell, to consider the growing list of exemptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act for those that need to be eliminated, tweaked, re-examined. Follow this link to hear the podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/user/9033845/grand-divisions-tennessee-news The Grand Divisions podcast is great for anyone interested in state politics. I've been listening since last [...]

17 Dec, 2018

Open Records Committee recommends changes to exemption process

By Deborah Fisher|2018-12-18T08:00:30-06:00December 17, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: exemptions, Hamilton County Board of Education, open government law, State Rep. Jason Zachary, State Sen. Mike Bell, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire, sunset provision, Tennessee Risk Management Trust|1 Comment

An open records committee that has met over the past five months to consider the growing number of exemptions to Tennessee’s Public Records Act says it will recommend a new, more robust process to vet both existing and future exemptions. State Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, co-chair of an ad hoc Open Records Committee appointed by House and Senate leaders, said the task of going through 563 exemptions was too large to get done in the few months they were allotted. However, the committee is recommending two major changes: a process for sunsets on existing exemptions and more robust vetting of proposed new exemptions. “We’ve learned that Tennessee needs [...]

10 Dec, 2018

Open Records Committee to make recommendations Thursday

By Deborah Fisher|2018-12-10T12:47:48-06:00December 10, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: exemptions, Open Records Ad Hoc Committee|0 Comments

The Open Records Ad Hoc Committee will meet on Thursday for discussion and recommendations regarding the growing number of exemptions to the public records laws that allow government entities to keep some records secret. The committee has met three times, beginning in August, after being formed by Senate Speaker Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and then-House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, who wanted an examination of exemptions that may need to be removed or placed in a sunset review process. The committee's chairmen are Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, and Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville. The other committee members are: Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield Sen. Jeff [...]

10 Dec, 2018

Tennessee lags other states in tax credit transparency

By Deborah Fisher|2020-11-19T12:54:12-06:00December 10, 2018|Categories: economic development, Legislature|Tags: economic development, legislature, Revenue Department, tax credits|1 Comment

(Update 2-8-2020: The most recent annual report on claimed tax credits from the year ending in mid-June shows the annual carryover liability has grown to $1.3 billion. You'll find this information in the footnotes.) When it comes to transparency of state business tax credits given to companies as part of economic development programs, Tennessee lags other states in how much it reveals to the public. The amount carried over in economic development tax credits to be used by businesses against future taxes is nearly $1 billion in Tennessee. But who is receiving the credits is confidential, the state says, unlike in other states. The Department of Revenue last [...]