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March 29, 2019
Washington State
- ESHB 1667 – continues local records grant program, modifies JLARC language
- WA Coalition for Open Government Legislative Updates
- State Archives events commemorate April as Records and Information Management Month
- Help Seattle Municipal Archives transcribe early records – crowdsourcing project
- SeattlePI: Why the Vatican needs to open its archives on Pope Pius XII
Outside Washington State
Laws, Legislation, Policy
- Texas House bill would close ‘Enrique Iglesias’ public records loophole – TX
- Bill to protect pipelines from records requests moves forward in North Dakota – ND
- Critics say several Arkansas bills hit speech, records law – AR
- Policy groups seeks penalties for government officials who don’t follow open records law – NV
- CT judicial records would be more public under proposed bill – CT
- Amendment would make names of businesses applying for marijuana licenses, scores public – NV
In the Courts
- Judge: Idaho must reveal past source of execution drugs – ID
- Kraft’s lawyers call to block release of recordings through Florida public records law – FL
- Lawsuit: USC withholding log of FOIA requests – SC
- Supreme Court takes case over AG’s private email – MI
Transparency and Open Government
- Freedom of Information request seeks location of pro’s secret Algonquin Park fishing spot
- McConnell blocks resolution urging that Mueller report be made public – USA
- Data shows requesters are highly interested in law enforcement records
- NYPD now claims it has no records on Millions March cell phone surveillance – NY
- More police departments encrypting scanners, raising freedom of information concerns
- Pentagon says Google’s work on drones is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act – USA
- How much of the Mueller report should be made public? – USA
- UNT System officials challenge release of ‘branding audit’ – TX
- County FOIA office responds to thousands of requests for Public Records – VA
- Coalition urges Supreme Court to maintain access to gov’t use of privately developed technology – USA
Fees, Costs, and Burdensome Requests
Records Management, Archives
March 22, 2019
Washington State
- Is Washington’s Public Records Law Being Abused By Seattle?
- Why WA’s data-privacy bill might not go far enough
- Browse and search historical publications with new WA Digital Newspapers website
- WA Local Records Grant applications due March 29, 2019
Outside Washington State
Laws, Legislation, Policy
- House OKs subjecting lawmakers, governor to record requests – MI
- New bill seeks teeth for Nevada public records laws – NV
- Kentucky bill restricting access to public records is dead this session
- New bill would subject Charters to same transparency rules as public schools – DC
In the Courts
- Teen sues West Linn City Council president for hiding public records – OR
- Governor slams city schools after public records lawsuit defeat – MD
Transparency and Open Government
- Program honors employees who upheld letter, and spirit, of Oregon’s public records law – OR
- Opinion: Public records deadline needs some teeth – OR
- Editorial: No special treatment for the press – OR
- Sunshine Week shines: Here’s a journalism win that’s had a lasting impact
- Even with new disclosure law, fight continues to unseal California’s secret police files – CA
- User’s guide to search or request SC public records – SC
- Wyoming governor asks media for ideas to ensure transparency – WY
- FOIA Exemption tightens spigot on Public Disclosure of bottled water sourcing records – USA
- Public regularly denied access to police officer videos – MN
Fees, Costs, Burdensome Requests
- Army bill for public records on contaminant: About $300,000 – USA
- A Look at San Diego’s Financial Battles Over the Public Records Act – CA
Privacy, Security, Technology
Records Management, Archives
- April is Records & Information Management Month
- Digital Hoarding Could Be Harmful to Your Mental Health
March 15, 2019
Washington State
- PBS: Open Government 2019
- Editorial: Obstinate Legislature insists on keeping the public in the dark
- Editorial: Keep sun shining on government decisions, actions
- Editorial: Open government goal of Sunshine Week
- WA Archives Spotlight: The Washington Senate Committee On Public Morals
Outside Washington State
Laws, Legislation, Policy
- Push continues to apply public records laws to governor, legislature – MI
- Lawsuit: Government has not revealed how deportation decisions are made – USA
- Advancing bills worry transparency advocates – NM
- San Diego City Council, Mayor line up against City Attorney’s public records proposal – CA
- MuckRock: State-by-state look at your public records law
- Mom fights for law to allow parents to view school bus video – TN
Transparency and Open Government
- Sunshine Week 2019: Public records reporting is stronger than ever
- Delays, redactions surround release of Las Vegas shooting records – NV
- FOIA Exemption tightens the spigot on public disclosure of bottled water sourcing records – USA
- Public records kept hidden from the public; Legislators want more transparency – CO
- Recognizing the year’s worst in government transparency – SC
- North Carolina agencies pay millions with scant transparency – NC
- Big, little governments manage public records requests – MI
- The Fight To Get Public Records From LA County’s Sheriff – CA
- City releases six City Manager candidate names. Why is public’s right to know still not satisfied? – TX
- Shifting whims of officials limit access to public records – NC
Records Management, Archives
- Delete Never: Digital hoarders who collect Tumblrs, Medieval manuscripts, and Terabytes of text files
- Presidential Libraries and the Digitization of Our Lives
- PRA and Records Management Technology Guide
March 8, 2019
Washington State
- WAPRO Spring Training – May 14, 2019
- Seattle pays $3,500 to settle one of two public meeting lawsuits
- HB 2115: Rep. Walsh’s bill would make more legislative records available
- WA State Archives Local Records Grant Program (applications due March 29)
Outside Washington State
In the Courts
- Judge rules San Diego police must release records publicly on shootings, misconduct – CA
- SF police union sues to block retroactive release of officer files under new law – CA
Laws, Legislation, Policy
- Oregon Legislature: Open government impact statements – OR
- Idaho transparency bill would increase public access to pretrial risk tools – ID
- Lawmakers push back against Interior’s proposed FOIA changes – USA
- Opinion: Senate Bill 615 Will Streamline California Citizens’ Access to Public Records – CA
- Arkansas bill to release some private group records fails – AR
- New law holds charter schools to same transparency laws as other public schools – CA
- Records Ban Proposed After Release of Sandy Hook Gunman’s Writings – CT
- Bill that blocks public records on Florida mass shootings on fast track – FL
- Experts say Kentucky bill to block open records access ‘really scary’ – KY
Transparency and Open Government
- Mueller’s Final Report Will Ignite an Epic War Over Disclosure – USA
- Texas AG’s Office seeks to withhold info on voter citizenship review – TX
Privacy, Security, Technology
Records Management, Archives
March 1, 2019
Washington State
- State Supreme Court sets date for legislative records case hearing
- Editorial: Legislature right to kill bad records bill
Outside Washington State
Laws, Legislation, Policy
- Legislation that establishes FOIA Penalties continues through the Capitol – VA
- Bill making BYU police subject to state open-records law sails through committee
Transparency and Open Government
- Expert: Kentucky lawmakers take ‘a wrecking ball’ to Open Records Act with House bill – KY
- Why Social Media Isn’t Different From Other Types of Discoverable Content
- List of convicted cops accidentally released ; AG threatens reporters with legal action – CA
Privacy, Security, Technology
- A robot that eats sensitive documents, spits out useable data
- What if You Just Ignored the GDPR?
- 83 percent of US organizations have accidentally exposed sensitive data
Records Management, Archives