Office of Open Records Counsel Archives - Page 2 of 9 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

19 Apr, 2018

Column: Lawmakers give Advisory Committee on Open Government opportunity for new life

By Deborah Fisher|2018-04-19T11:42:47-05:00April 19, 2018|Categories: Advisory Committee on Open Government, Legislature, Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: ACOG, Office of Open Records Counsel, State Rep. Bob Ramsey, State Sen. Mike Bell, State Sen. Randy McNally|4 Comments

A decade ago, in the spring of 2008, the Legislature created the Advisory Committee on Open Government to provide guidance to the newly created Office of Open Records Counsel. The Legislature also gave the committee the ability to review and provide written comments on proposed legislation related to open records and open meetings laws. But for most of the past 10 years, the group has barely met. Aside from its initial whirlwind participation in setting a “reasonable fee schedule” for copies of public records, committee discussions have been so infrequent as to cause some who have attended to wonder whether even those were worth the time. The open government committee [...]

19 Apr, 2018

Bill to allow more meetings of Advisory Committee on Open Government wins approval

By Deborah Fisher|2018-04-19T10:58:08-05:00April 19, 2018|Categories: Advisory Committee on Open Government, Legislature|Tags: Advisory Committee on Open Government, Office of Open Records Counsel, State Rep. Bob Ramsey, State Sen. Mike Bell|0 Comments

The Advisory Committee on Open Government will be allowed to meet more frequently and at the call of co-chairs under legislation that has won approval from both the Senate and the House. Previously, the committee met only at the request of the Office of Open Records Counsel. State Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, and Chair of House State Government Committee ACOG is a 14-member committee established by the Legislature in 2008 as part of open government reform. Its 14 members, equally representing government and citizen groups, are appointed by the Comptroller’s office. It also has three ex-officio members. The committee's purpose and duties include advising the Office of Open Records Counsel [...]

18 Dec, 2017

Knox County Commission removes photography ban on public records

By Deborah Fisher|2017-12-19T08:47:42-06:00December 18, 2017|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Knox County Commission, model public records policy, Office of Open Records Counsel, photos of public records, public records request coordinators, Tim Burchett|2 Comments

The Knox County Commission tonight eliminated a short-lived ban on photography of public records and updated its public records policy to allow citizens to use personal equipment to make their own copies subject to some rules. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett Mayor Tim Burchett had requested the change and in a consent vote, commissioners unanimously supported removing the ban. TCOG has tracked the growing issue of government entities suddenly banning people from snapping photos with their smartphones of public records they are inspecting. This has particularly affected journalists who use phones to take notes and share information. The Knox County Commission's action appears to be the first of [...]

6 Dec, 2017

Knox County mayor proposes removing photography ban on public records

By Deborah Fisher|2017-12-06T09:20:54-06:00December 6, 2017|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Knox County, Lee Pope, Office of Open Records Counsel, photos of public records, State Sen. Mike Bell, Tim Burchett|0 Comments

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett has proposed changing the county's public records policy to remove the ban on taking pictures of public records, a ban that was adopted when the county updated its public records policy to include language from a state model policy. Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett “In Tennessee, citizens can inspect public documents at no charge. There’s no reason they shouldn’t also be allowed to take pictures of those records with their own cellphone cameras,” Burchett said in a new release. “Our taxpayers already pay for these documents and access to public records shouldn’t be limited only to those who can afford to pay for [...]

20 Nov, 2017

Would your school board vote on a capital plan without public notice?

By Deborah Fisher|2023-04-11T10:59:34-05:00November 20, 2017|Categories: adequate public notice|Tags: adequate public notice, agendas, Chattanooga, Elisha Hodge, Hamilton County Board of Education, Hamilton County superintendent Bryan Johnson, Memphis Publishing Co. v. City of Memphis, Office of Open Records Counsel, school boards, Souder v. Health Partners|0 Comments

If there’s one type of governing body that generates the most open meetings questions to my help line, it’s school boards. So let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a school board member for a moment and consider the following scenario. I hope it will provide you some ideas the next time you ask a school board candidate where he or she stands on government transparency. Instead of allowing the stock answer, “I’m pro-transparency,” how would your potential school board member react in this situation? Four months ago, the school board hires a new superintendent. He immediately faces a list of overdue capital improvement projects. Some schools need extensive repair [...]