requests by email Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

16 Feb, 2017

With some pushback, House subcommittee passes bill to allow public records requests by email

By Deborah Fisher|2017-02-16T10:41:23-06:00February 16, 2017|Categories: Legislature, requests|Tags: public records requests, requests by email, State Rep. Bill Sanderson, State Rep. Bob Ramsey, State Rep. Bud Hulsey, State Rep. Courtney Rogers, State Rep. Darren Jernigan, Sumner County School Board|0 Comments

The House State Government Subcommittee passed with a voice vote on Wednesday a bill that would clarify the public records statutes to say that citizens could use email to send in their records requests if a government entity already uses email to conduct government business. The requirement would not apply if the government entity does not use email as an "official mode of communication" in recognition that some small or rural government entities may not have or use email. State Rep. Courtney Rogers, R-Goodlettsville The bill's sponsor, Courtney Rogers, R-Goodlettsville, said the purpose of the bill (HB 58 / SB 464) is to eliminate any ambiguity in the law, and [...]

15 Feb, 2017

Interested in open government? Bills to watch in 2017 in Tennessee

By Deborah Fisher|2017-03-17T15:00:31-05:00February 15, 2017|Categories: exemptions, Legislature|Tags: charter schools, economic development records, financial disclosures, government contracts, legislation, legislature, lottery records, outsourcing, police body cameras, requests by email, vendors, voting records|0 Comments

Lawmakers have filed dozens of bill this year that could affect a citizen’s ability to get information about their local and state government. While it’s still early, here is a list of bills to watch. Economic development records HB 947 / SB 1179 - State Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin / State Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald - Makes confidential county and municipal records related to economic development. Part of this bill would make confidential any county or city economic development contracts, agreements and related records until after a contract is entered into. The other part of the bill allows a county or municipality to keep any documents confidential after a contract [...]

10 Feb, 2017

Legislation would require government to accept records requests via email

By Deborah Fisher|2017-02-10T10:14:30-06:00February 10, 2017|Categories: Legislature, requests|Tags: public records requests, requests by email, State Rep. Courtney Rogers, State Sen. Mike Bell, Sumner County School Board|0 Comments

State Rep. Courtney Rogers, R-Goodlettsville State Rep. Courtney Rogers, R-Goodlettsville, has filed a bill that would end the practice of some government entities in Tennessee refusing to accept public records requests by email. The legislation, which is being carried in the Senate by Mike Bell, R-Riceville, says that "Requests (to see public records) may be submitted by all official modes of communication, including in person, telephone, fax, email, or other electronic means." If a request for copies is required to be in writing, citizens may submit a handwritten request or send a request by email or fill out a form, but the government entity has to provide the form [...]

13 Dec, 2016

The Daily Times: Model records policy should not aid wallbuilders, suggest loopholes

By Deborah Fisher|2016-12-13T08:01:48-06:00December 13, 2016|Categories: Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: model public records policy, Office of Open Records Counsel, public records requests, requests by email, The Daily Times|0 Comments

We should listen to journalists in the field when it comes to access to public records. Buzz Trexler, editor at The Daily Times in Maryville, reminds me of a question I was once asked in a TV interview: What's the hardest public record to get? My answer: The record a government official doesn't want you to have. Too often, journalists are given the runaround or hit roadblocks when a public official for some reason doesn't want "the media" to have access to some public record, or want to delay news that the public record would convey. My observation has been that citizens, without the support of a media organization behind [...]

8 Dec, 2016

Read TCOG’s comments on proposed model public records policy

By Deborah Fisher|2017-02-20T09:04:33-06:00December 8, 2016|Categories: Office of Open Records Counsel, requests, TCOG letters, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Adam Yeomans, Advisory Committee on Open Government, Ann Butterworth, citizen id, model public records policy, Office of Open Records Counsel, open data, public records requests, requests by email, Sumner County School Board, TCOG news|0 Comments

TCOG Letter on Model Public Records Policy 12-7-16 Tennessee Coalition for Open Government provided written feedback Wednesday on the Office of Open Records Counsel's proposed "Best Practices & Guidelines and Model Public Records Policy." This policy is important because it is intended as a model for all government entities in the state as they move to adopt public records policies as required by a new law. Parts of the guidelines and model policy are beneficial to citizens and government entities -- such as an emphasis on the statutory requirement that public records requests be handled promptly. Adam Yeomans is TCOG's representative on the Advisory Committee on Open Government. He is [...]