legislature Archives - Page 11 of 12 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

27 Feb, 2014

Bill would make lottery winners secret

By Deborah Fisher|2017-03-17T14:58:21-05:00February 27, 2014|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: legislature, lottery records, Open Records Act exemptions|0 Comments

A measure that would require the state lottery to include a warning label (“You will probably lose money playing the lottery”) is finding favor as it works its way through the legislature. But for those who, against all odds, actually win, perhaps another warning is needed: You will probably be hounded by cousins you didn't even know you had. State Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, seeks to help those lucky few avoid such annoyances by striking the names of lottery winners from the public record. If a winner expressly allows it, the state lottery could release the name "for marketing, advertising, or promotional purposes." Otherwise, the public doesn't get to know. Bowling [...]

27 Feb, 2014

Bill defines DCS disclosure of child death records

By Deborah Fisher|2021-02-02T12:12:05-06:00February 27, 2014|Categories: state records|Tags: child death records, DCS, legislature, open records|1 Comment

Chas Sisk with The Tennessean reports today of a bill that would lay out required disclosures of child death records by DCS. Such records were at the heart of a lawsuit last year led by The Tennessean. Here is an excerpt from Sisk's story. House lawmakers gave initial approval Wednesday to a bill that sets new disclosure rules for the Department of Children’s Services. The House Civil Justice Subcommittee unanimously approved House Bill 1505 on a voice vote Wednesday afternoon after members raised no objections to the measure. The bill lays out the disclosures DCS must make when a child dies or comes close to death, and it says a full report [...]

21 Feb, 2014

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

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:50:57-05:00February 21, 2014|Categories: crime records, exemptions, Legislature|Tags: crime records, Knoxville News Sentinel, legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, sexual assault records|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 [...]

12 Feb, 2014

Tennessean editorial asks “Sexual assault privacy bill: protecting victims or those in power?”

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:48:42-05:00February 12, 2014|Categories: crime records, exemptions|Tags: crime records, legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, sexual assault records, The Tennessean|0 Comments

The Tennessean publishes an editorial against proposed legislation that exempts parts of sexual assault crime records from the public records law. The editorial is reprinted here with permission: State legislation backed by Metro Nashville, supposedly to protect the privacy of victims of sexual assault, has many implications for our state, but helping rape victims is not among them. Senate Bill 2254 is first and foremost an attempt to intimidate news media organizations throughout Tennessee, as they pursue a lawsuit against Metro over its refusal to release records in the rape investigation involving former Vanderbilt University football players. The Tennessean is among the news organizations that filed the suit last week. But [...]

12 Feb, 2014

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

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:49:44-05:00February 12, 2014|Categories: crime records, exemptions, Legislature|Tags: crime records, legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, sexual assault records|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. [...]