exemptions Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

30 Jan, 2018

Does Tennessee have too many exemptions to its public records law?

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T19:03:02-05:00January 30, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: crime records, deliberative process privilege, exemptions, law enforcement privilege|1 Comment

This week, the Tennessee Comptroller’s office released a list of 538 exemptions to the public records law passed by lawmakers. Most of those — almost 450 — were added in the past 30 years, according to the best information the office could find. But really, isn’t that one of the problems? Comptroller Chief of Staff Jason Mumpower, who oversees the Office of Open Records Counsel, told lawmakers in his presentation that the exemptions “are a hodgepodge all over the Tennessee Code Annotated.” It’s hard to tell exactly when some were created. He even acknowledged that they may have missed some, and if someone finds something not on the list, to [...]

30 Jan, 2018

538 public records exemptions in Tennessee law

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T19:02:12-05:00January 30, 2018|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: Beth Harwell, exemptions, Jason Mumpower, State Sen. Ken Yager, State Sen. Mike Bell, State Sen. Randy McNally|0 Comments

By JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A report has found that there are now 538 exemptions to Tennessee's public records law, about six times as many as there were three decades ago. According to the state comptroller's office, the Tennessee Public Records Act only had two statutory exceptions when it was enacted in 1957. By 1988, a legislative committee reported there were 89 exceptions. In its report released Tuesday, the comptroller's Office of Open Records Counsel found that number has grown to include hundreds of exceptions in Tennessee Code. "I will tell you, they are hodgepodge all over the Tennessee Code Annotated," Jason Mumpower, comptroller's office chief of [...]

17 Mar, 2017

McNally, Harwell seek review of Tennessee open records exemptions

By Deborah Fisher|2017-03-17T12:39:23-05:00March 17, 2017|Categories: exemptions, Legislature, Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: Adam Yeomans, Beth Harwell, exemptions, State Sen. Randy McNally, sunset provision|2 Comments

The speakers of the House and Senate have asked the Office of Open Records Counsel for a "thorough and comprehensive review" of the various exemptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act, reports Joel Ebert in a story in The Tennessean. Letter from McNally and Harwell asking for a thorough review of the exemptions to the Public Records Act. "We ask that a detailed list of current exemptions in the Tennessee Code Annotated be compiled as soon as possible," says the letter from State Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and State Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, to Open Records Counsel Ann Butterworth. "In the interest of transparent and open government, [...]

9 Feb, 2017

Bill to scale back confidentiality of lottery sales

By Deborah Fisher|2017-03-17T14:58:38-05:00February 9, 2017|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: Bristol Herald Courier, exemptions, lottery records, Rebecca Hargrove, State Rep. John Crawford, State Sen. Jon Lundberg|0 Comments

Legislation has been filed that would remove an exemption that makes the location of lottery sales secret under state law. Rep. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport The proposed bills (S.B. 563 / H.B. 575) by state Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, and Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport, states as the reason "that transparency in the operation of the state lottery is essential to maintaining public confidence in the Tennessee education lottery corporation, lottery vendors, lottery retailers, and lottery games." There is a large section of the lottery law that makes confidential many aspects surrounding the operation of the lottery, including trade secrets, security systems, security reports, proposals and bids [...]

25 May, 2016

Performance evaluation of UT-M chancellor off limits to public under new law

By Deborah Fisher|2016-05-25T14:45:32-05:00May 25, 2016|Categories: exemptions|Tags: exemptions, performance evaluations, public records exemptions, The Jackson Sun, University of Tennessee at Martin|0 Comments

The Jackson Sun hit a public records roadblock in its ongoing probe into the accreditation problems at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Here's the short story: Tom Rakes resigned his position as chancellor at UT-Martin on May 31, 2015, and is now teaching a few online classes at the university for a lowered salary of $185,520. The university was placed on academic probation in December 2015 after years of notification to the university of key problems from its accrediting body. UT system President Joe DiPietro declined to say whether performance issues were a factor in the chancellor's resignation. So the newspaper asked for Rakes' personnel file, expecting to see Rakes' [...]