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August 31, 2018
Washington State
- Did Seattle deliberately withhold records? New info shows tally of votes before head-tax repeal
- Editorial: Will State Task Force on Public Records Work in Good Faith?
- Opinion: Legislators continue to miss the point of public records and transparency
- Editorial: This lawmaker openly hates the press. He should be kicked off public records task force
- Editorial: Lawmaker shouldn’t work alongside ‘dirty’ news media
Outside Washington State
Legislation, and Policy
In the Courts
- Group tries to force state to release pollution records for Kentucky lake – KY
- Open government group sues CalPERS over data on pension types – CA
- Nonprofit ‘Community Action Agency’ sued to open its records – CA
- County judge rules police body camera recordings not exempt from public disclosure – NJ
- Circuit judge rules that DHS must release DHS staffer’s personnel records – AR
Transparency and Open Government
- Coach’s texts raise open records question for Ohio State – OH
- Commentary: Police videos should be public under OPRA – NJ
- Illinois agency says it didn’t keep records on inmate death – IL
Privacy and Security
- Should you have to show an ID to request public records in Colorado? – CO
- PG&E identified as utility that lost control of confidential information – CA
- Stop medical records offshoring
Records Management and Archives
- Why the future of data storage is (still) magnetic tape
- NARA: Records Management Annual Report Released – USA
- Share Drives: Will you take the garbage out?
- Retiring Gregg County clerks press archival plans forward – TX
- ASU home to John McCain’s archives – AZ
- National Archives plays unusual role in Supreme Court nomination battle – USA
August 24, 2018
Washington State
- Lawsuit filed in Seattle says ICE failed to disclose records, violated Freedom of Information Act
- Opinion: Police video should be a public record
- Mill Creek refuses to release city manager’s damage claim
- Opinion: Don’t let public records task force become a joke
- State Rep calls journalists ‘dirty, godless, hateful.’ GOP says he is qualified for public records task force
- Inslee says Shea shouldn’t be on task force; GOP leader says he’ll stay
- Editorial: Press lawmakers to comply with Public Records Act
- Editorial: State lawmakers continue to drag feet on ensuring public records accessible
- Opinion: It’s pretty clear there’s not too much transparency
- Opinion: Legislators continue to miss the point of public records and transparency
Outside Washington State
Legislation, and Policy
- PD adopts new policy for faster release of officer-involved shootings video footage – LA
- Utah Records Committee orders water district to provide pipeline records to public – UT
In the Courts
- Why wasn’t road closed before Miami bridge fell? Judge orders release of key records – FL
- Open government group sues CalPERS over failing to disclose data on pension types – CA
- Arkansas school district ordered to release records on fired school chief – AR
Transparency and Open Government
- Updated Indiana Transparency Portal emphasizes usability, public good – IN
- City wrestles with transparency: Critics attack Open Door Law, public-records inquiries – IN
- Opinion: Government entities face no consequences for defying public records law – NV
- Should police dash cams be secret? Here’s what you may not have seen if they were – NJ
- State Auditor launches new feature aimed at transparency – MI
- Opinion: Public information law under siege in Texas – TX
- Watchdog groups object to Gov. Walker’s ‘Openness’ award – WI
Privacy and Security
- County clerk under scrutiny for suspected data breach exposing up to 250,000 people – WI
- Nova Scotia privacy website at centre of data breach to be back online soon – International
Records Management and Archives
- Historical records endangered by water leak – NY
- Watchman who saved Holocaust-era records relives Swiss ordeal – International
- Server crash takes out rich digital archive at Memorial University – International (Canada)
August 17, 2018
Washington State
- Opinion: Lawmakers are still telling lies about the Public Records Act bill – don’t fall for it
- Pierce County launches #OpenPierceCounty effort to increase transparency, accountability
- Archives: WA State Parks & Rec gives thanks for massive photo-scanning project
Outside Washington State
Legislation, and Policy
- Police records in California rarely see light of day, but lawmakers could soon change that – CA
- Editorial: Cities must set transparent policies, or the state will do it for them – IA
In the Courts
- Judge rules Chicago can keep its Amazon HQ2 bid secret, rejecting FOIA lawsuit – IL
- Court: Police dash camera recordings not public records – NC
- NJ Politics Digest: State High Court Bars Dash Cam Videos From Public Scrutiny – NJ
Transparency and Open Government
- Commentary: Agencies seem to believe that secrecy trumps transparency – KY
- Democrats FOIA Supreme Court nominee docs from White House in “unprecedented step” – USA
- Opinion: Government ‘transparency’ has gone too far – USA
- Cities can’t make records secret just because two parties want to do so – KY
- Office of Refugee Resettlement quietly removes entire staff directory webpage – USA
Privacy and Security
- NARA is doing great at email, website security. Maybe – USA
- Experts sound the alarm on readiness for Canada’s new privacy regulations – International
Records Management and Archives
- National Archives “Industry Day” guides federal agencies on managing electronic records – USA
- A century from now, will our record-keeping be obsolete?
- Sedona Conference has created new principles on defensible disposition
- Online archive “Harvey Memories Project” to help preserve nation’s first social media storm
August 10, 2018
Washington State
- Seattle City Council member’s snarky email disappears, violates public records law
- Cities’ secretive offers for Amazon’s HQ2 are raising concerns for many city leaders
Outside Washington State
Legislation, and Policy
- Bill to Block Feds’ Personal Email, Social Media Access Advances – USA
- E-Mail Preservation Bill Clears House – USA
In the Courts
- Why BuzzFeed’s Court Win Against DOJ Secrecy Isn’t A Win For Public Transparency – USA
- Open government advocate threatens suit over county financial disclosures – NY
Transparency and Open Government
- Editorial: Oregon should track record requests – OR
- Trump can keep legal reasons for shrinking monuments secret – USA
- El Paso Mayor’s use of personal email is latest in city’s transparency lapses – TX
- Charter School Transparency Is Lacking According To Public Advocates – CA
- When Public Records Aren’t Public – IN
- Book: Troubling Transparency: The History and Future of Freedom of Information
- Editorial: Here’s what transparency means to CPS – IL
- Worcester denies request for internal affairs histories of officers accused of misconduct – International
Privacy and Security
Records Management and Archives
- ‘Deliberately’ obscure gov’t file names leave Japan’s National Archives at a loss – International (Japan)
- How National Archives Digital Director is digitising government records – International (UK)
- Using artificial intelligence, researchers are teaching a computer to read the Vatican’s secret archives
- Railways to digitise its archival records of about 25 million pages – International (UK)
August 3, 2018
Washington State
- Judge: Opioid distribution data not for public consumption – USA
- Poulsbo Mayor’s actions in police chief investigation cast question on transparency claims
Outside Washington State
Legislation, and Policy
- The Freedom of Information Act at 52: New challenges to the people’s right to know – USA
- Here’s why Alabama’s Open Meetings Law is important to you – AL
- New EPA rule would force people to choose between privacy and health – USA
In the Courts
- UK Court allows police to reveal acquittals during record checks – International
- Appeals court orders release of Parkland shooting video – FL
- Parkland shooter’s confession must be released to public, judge rules – FL
- Federal Judge calls ICE, Homeland Security FOIA response ‘inadequate’ – USA
- Judge lets Secret Service hide White House visitor logs – USA
- Dems sue Missouri attorney general’s office for access to AG’s records – MO
- Public records lawsuit dismissed after Boswell releases emails to constituent – NC
Transparency & Open Government
- Opinion: Open FOIL NY will speed up transparency – NY
- Deleted tweets, removed records, and our disposable past
- Watchdogs: Atlanta skirting records law in probe of $40,000 payment – GA
- Editorial: Message-burning apps are a threat to government transparency – PA
- Mayor used personal email for arena talks – TX
- Editorial: Indictment of mayor’s former press secretary a warning for those flouting records laws – TX
Privacy, Security, and Technology
- Blurring the line between personal and professional for public employees – NJ
- After criticism, regional transportation agency clarifies what info is private – DE
Records Management & Archives