public notice Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

27 Feb, 2014

Bills affecting sunshine law, public notice headed to committee

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:44:51-05:00February 27, 2014|Categories: adequate public notice|Tags: legislature, public notice, school safety plans|0 Comments

A legislative proposal that would exempt from Tennessee's sunshine law any meeting regarding school safety plans is headed for a state Senate committee and House subcommittee next week. Also on the calendar next week is a bill that would require a newspaper to be designated by a local legislative body, such as a county commission or city council, as "a newspaper of general circulation" before that newspaper could be used to publish certain notices required by statute. One bill would alter the state's sunshine laws, and the other creates a new definition of "a newspaper of general circulation" as it relates to meeting standards for certain public notices. The proposal to allow [...]

An early look at bills that could reduce transparency

By Deborah Fisher|2014-04-09T16:57:36-05:00January 27, 2014|Categories: Legislature|Tags: legislature, Open Records Act exemptions, public notice|0 Comments

With the legislative session under way, the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government is tracking proposed bills that could reduce government transparency, as well as some that could make government more open. Lawmakers have until Feb. 5 to file bills, so the list could grow. Two bills would add broad new exceptions to the public records law. One, (S.B. 2254) by state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, would make confidential the names, addresses and telephone numbers of sexual assault victims. The bill as introduced, goes further with this blanket language: “No portion of any report, paper, picture, photograph, video, court file, or other document in the custody or possession of any [...]

Naughty open government deeds in Bradley County

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T16:12:33-05:00December 21, 2013|Categories: adequate public notice, Open Meetings|Tags: Bradley County, public notice, Tennessee Open Meetings Act|0 Comments

By Deborah Fisher, Executive Director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government Just a few days before Christmas, we open government advocates must sadly add a name to the naughty list. Over in Bradley County, public officials have been trying to settle who will take care of the animal control services after a longstanding agreement with the city of Cleveland fell apart over the county’s portion of the animal shelter budget. The county got proposals from two nonprofits at prices a far bit apart: $80,000 and $240,000 annually. The commission had created an ad hoc animal control committee, chaired by Commissioner Charlotte Peak-Jones. She decided to call a meeting of the [...]