Government Transparency

Whistle blowers are a key component for the public to learn about what the government is up to, and a recent study in Public Administration found the best way to encourage government employees to do the right thing is to focus on the waste of tax dollars for the community…

A bill that could impose new fees and limitations on public records requests has advanced through its first committee in the New Mexico House. Orginially reported by the New Mexico Political Report, the bill, which was sponsored by democratic State Rep. Christine Chandler, passed with nearly unanimous support but has…

A recent study published in the Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology examined how government efficiency, transparency, and accountability in Afghanistan can enhance entrepreneurship. Researchers analyzed World Bank data and found that governments whose practices focus on improving efficiency, reducing corruption, and promoting transparency foster a more vibrant…

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) has awarded the 2025 Brechner Freedom of Information Award to St. Louis Public Radio, APM Reports and The Marshall Project for their collaborative investigative project, “Unsolved.” This groundbreaking project has been…

A recent study in Indonesia highlights frustrations like those reported by public records requesters in the United States. The researcher of the study, “Citizens’ subjective experiences of public information disclosure: A human rights and transparency perspective,” conducted 10 in depth-interviews with individuals seeking government records to learn that people were…

A recent survey of 2,500 U.S. city department heads suggests that there are varying attitudes toward public data transparency nationally.   Published in the latest issue of the Government Information Quarterly, the survey, led by Mary Feeney of Arizona State University, found that city department heads were generally in favor of releasing…

A new bill is making its way through the Wisconsin State Legislature that could bring the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) under the state’s public records and open meetings laws.  According to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, State Rep. Cindi Duchow and Sen. Cory Tomczyk are co-sponsoring the legislation,…

The seventh annual Freedom of Information Research Competition, sponsored by the National Freedom of Information Coalition and University of Florida Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, welcomes one-page proposals for papers that shed light on freedom of information.  The top three papers will earn cash prizes and will be…

A study recently published in the Journal of Mathematics Instruction, Social Research and Opinion found that while 92% residents in Budhanilkantha, Nepal, understood the importance of transparency in creating good government, only a quarter sought information from the government. Khila Nath Sapkota of Tribhuvan University surveyed 120 people from the…

Restricting access to home addresses in public records hinders journalists’ ability to verify facts and hold officials in positions of power accountable, according to a study in the latest edition of the Journal of Civic Information published by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project.  The study, conducted by…

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications is training hundreds of journalists during the summer of 2024 on how to more effectively acquire government records for helping their communities better self-govern. On June 29, Director David Cuillier spoke at…

An article by Benjamin W. Cramer, Ph.D. of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Pennsylvania State University analyzes American regulations, legislation, and executive orders that address the matter of critical infrastructure, primarily in communications. Published in the June 2024 edition of The Journal of Civic Information, the article conducts policy-oriented…