News - Page 68 of 128 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

20 Dec, 2016

House Republican caucus meetings to be open unless it’s “family discussion”, chairman says

By Deborah Fisher|2016-12-20T11:45:57-06:00December 20, 2016|Categories: Legislature, Open Meetings|Tags: House Republican caucus, legislature, State Rep. Ryan Williams, Tennessee Capitol Press Corps|1 Comment

House Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan Williams told the Capitol Hill press corps last week that caucus meetings would be presumed to be open while the legislature is in session, according to a report in The Tennessean. However, he said, if a member wanted to have a "family discussion," the caucus would take a vote on closing the meeting. State Rep. Ryan Williams The meeting with the press corps came after the House caucus, departing from tradition, held a closed door session in early December to discuss the state budget surplus and the fires in Sevier County. The press corps asked to discuss what appeared to be a new [...]

19 Dec, 2016

Bristol newspaper gets lottery data in Virginia, but same records are secret in Tennessee

By Deborah Fisher|2016-12-19T16:26:10-06:00December 19, 2016|Categories: exemptions|Tags: Bristol Herald Courier, lottery records, public records exemptions, Rebecca Hargrove|0 Comments

The Bristol Herald Courier reported in a Sunday story a geographical sales analysis of lottery data. But it could only tell half the story. Why? The line that separates Bristol, Tenn., from Bristol, Va. is also the state line. While it could report data from Virginia lottery sales in Bristol, Va., the same data from the Tennessee lottery in Bristol, Tenn., is confidential under an exemption in the Tennessee Public Records Act. In Bristol, Va., half of the largest retailers of lottery tickets sell their tickets in an area that is home to some of the city's lowest-earning residents. The newspaper explained that it wanted to do the same [...]

19 Dec, 2016

Open Records Counsel plans 2nd draft of model public records policy for ACOG

By Deborah Fisher|2016-12-20T13:30:32-06:00December 19, 2016|Categories: Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: ACOG, Adam Yeomans, Ann Butterworth, fees for public records, Janet Kleinfelter, Lee Pope, model public records policy, OORC|1 Comment

Open Records Counsel Ann Butterworth told members of the Advisory Committee on Open Government at a Friday meeting that her office will develop a second draft of a model public records policy and best practices guidelines and present them in coming weeks. ACOG, a 14-member committee appointed by the Comptroller's Office, is allowed under state law to review and provide comment on the model policy, and any other forms or schedules produced by the office. Butterworth and new deputy open records counsel Lee Pope said the office received more than 40 comments from the public and members of ACOG on its draft model policy and other eight documents and forms it [...]

15 Dec, 2016

Knight Foundation survey seeks feedback on FOI laws

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T18:57:36-05:00December 15, 2016|Categories: Public Records|Tags: FOI laws, Knight Foundation, public records laws|0 Comments

The Knight Foundation is conducting a national survey to better understand the freedom of information landscape in the United States and what might be done to improve it. The Knight Foundation survey asks about access to information at the local, state and federal level. Anyone interested in Freedom of Information laws is invited to share their thoughts. The online survey takes about 15 minutes and will be open until Jan. 1. To take it, go to Knight FOI Survey. I encourage all journalists and citizens in the state who have used the public records laws in Tennessee -- or the federal public records laws -- to provide feedback so Tennessee [...]

15 Dec, 2016

TCOG comments for body camera study

By Deborah Fisher|2017-04-24T09:42:36-05:00December 15, 2016|Categories: TCOG letters|Tags: ACOG, police body cameras|0 Comments

The Advisory Committee on Open Government, a 14-member committee representing citizens and government, was asked to provide comments on body camera footage to aid lawmakers. Here is a link to TCOG's Dec. 15, 2016, letter for the body camera study. Body Camera ACOG Study - TCOG's response