Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

26 Apr, 2023

Is school shooter Audrey Hale’s ‘manifesto’ an open record under the Tennessee Public Records Act?
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Is school shooter Audrey Hale’s ‘manifesto’ an open record under the Tennessee Public Records Act?

crime records

Is school shooter Audrey Hale’s ‘manifesto’ an open record under the Tennessee Public Records Act?

By Deborah Fisher|2023-04-26T16:40:22-05:00April 26, 2023|Categories: crime records|Tags: Audrey Hale, investigative exemption, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire, The Covenant School|2 Comments

School shooter Audrey Hale's manifesto would not fall under the so-called "investigative exemption" to Tennessee's public records law because this exemption is only available when there is an investigation into possible criminal charges. Here, the shooter is dead. Police have said she acted alone. So if there are no other suspects to charge, there is no investigation that could lead to criminal charges against someone.

11 Apr, 2023

House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings
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House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings

adequate public notice, Legislature, meeting agenda, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

House, Senate pass bill requiring clear agendas for local legislative body meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2023-04-11T11:21:31-05:00April 11, 2023|Categories: adequate public notice, Legislature, meeting agenda, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: adequate notice, agendas, government websites, State Rep. Jerome Moon, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire|0 Comments

The House and Senate have unanimously approved a bill that will improve the timeliness and clarity of the agendas of local legislative bodies. The bill now heads to the governor's desk and will become law once signed. The bill requires that agendas be available to the public 48 hours in advance of the meeting and that they "reasonably describe matters to be deliberated and acted upon during the meeting." Several lawmakers signed onto the bill. Tennessee Coalition for Open Government brought the bill to the legislative sponsors after a series of court opinions saying that no agenda was required by the Open Meetings Act.

27 Mar, 2023

Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission
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Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission

Open Courts, Open Meetings

Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission

By Deborah Fisher|2023-06-21T10:41:00-05:00March 27, 2023|Categories: Open Courts, Open Meetings|Tags: Administrative Office of the Courts, Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure, Center Square, court access, First Amendment, Tennessee Judicial Conference|1 Comment

A federal judge in Nashville ruled that the press and the public likely have a First Amendment right of access to meetings of a court rules commission that recommends rules of procedure and practice for all Tennessee courts. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson ordered that the meetings no longer be closed, and said opening the meetings will create public confidence and transparency, and likely result in better rules.

15 Mar, 2023

Bill would allow governmental bodies to post meeting notices on website
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Bill would allow governmental bodies to post meeting notices on website

adequate public notice, Legislature

Bill would allow governmental bodies to post meeting notices on website

By Deborah Fisher|2023-03-15T12:51:54-05:00March 15, 2023|Categories: adequate public notice, Legislature|Tags: government websites, meeting notices, Rep. Elaine Davis, University of Tennessee|0 Comments

A bill that allows governing bodies to post notice of their meetings on their websites passed a House committee, but not before pushback on a provision that requires the governing body to also mail or email the meeting notices to citizens who request it.

13 Mar, 2023

Electronic meetings bill fails in House committee
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Electronic meetings bill fails in House committee

Legislature, Open Meetings

Electronic meetings bill fails in House committee

By Deborah Fisher|2023-03-17T07:46:05-05:00March 13, 2023|Categories: Legislature, Open Meetings|Tags: electronic meetings, meeting videotape, Rep. Dave Wright, voting by phone|0 Comments

Lawmakers killed a bill in a House committee that would have allowed members of county and city legislative bodies to attend meetings by phone or video. The bill was a revival of one that failed in 2021. Lawmakers expressed concerns that members attending a meeting while experiencing a family or medical "emergency" might not be in the mental state to conduct business.

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