open records laws

University of North Carolina professor David Ardia argues that the public’s right to access government information should be a constitutional right—not just a statutory one.  In a Arizona Law Review article, Ardia writes that access to information is essential for democratic self-governance and should be recognized as a constitutional safeguard…

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Posted: June 26, 2025

In a recent opinion, the Washington D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed that the district’s mayor’s office must publish agency budget requests under the city’s Freedom of Information Act, and that failure to proactively post the records could result in punishment. The case, District of Columbia v. Terris, Pravlik & Millian…

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Posted: June 24, 2025

In Minnesota, a Ramsey County judge has ordered the city of St. Paul to pay a resident more than $30,000 in damages and $750 in court costs for violating Minnesota’s open records law, according to reporting from KSTP.  The case stems from a public records request submitted by attorney and…

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Posted: June 17, 2025

A coalition of 40 California newsrooms has published a study examining the challenges of large-scale public records requests. The California Reporting Project developed a tool, RequestAtlas, to manage unstructured data obtained through public record requests related to police use of force and misconduct.  The study found that early attempts to…

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Posted: June 12, 2025

A Fulton County Superior Court judge in Georgia has ruled that the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF) must release 15 unredacted public records related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, known as “Cop City,” within 30 days. The records include board meeting agendas, budget documents, and emails with Georgia Attorney…

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Posted: June 10, 2025

A May study titled “Lessons from the Dissolution of Mexico’s Information Commission” examines the March closure of Mexico’s national transparency commission. Researchers Gregory Michener, Margaret Kwoka, and others analyzed the shutdown and identified lack of public engagement as a key factor.  The commission, once regarded as a global model for…

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Posted: June 5, 2025

Access to public records continues to vary widely by state, with Alabama ranking last in compliance, according to a recent analysis. While neighboring Florida responded promptly to a reporter’s request regarding a swatting incident at a U.S. senator’s beach house, Alabama agencies delayed or denied similar requests related to a…

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Posted: June 3, 2025

A new article in the Seattle University Law Review by former Brechner FOI Project Director Frank LoMonte looks at what is described as a “hole in the heart” of federal and state freedom-of-information laws: The absence of legal requirements to actually retain high-value records – or any meaningful penalty for failing to do so. In…

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Posted: May 29, 2025

A new analysis in the Washington University Law Review finds that state address confidentiality programs (ACPs) meant to protect domestic violence survivors are often ineffective—and in some states, nonexistent. Author Haley Bills highlights that at least six states lack ACPs entirely, while others have inconsistent standards that leave many survivors…

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Posted: May 22, 2025

For nearly 30 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released an annual report tracking the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—until this year. In a report from CBS News, the agency failed to publish its 2025 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, prompting the Environmental Defense Fund to file a Freedom of…

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Posted: May 20, 2025

As public records requests continue to rise, a new paper in AI & Society argues that artificial intelligence could play a key role in helping government agencies manage the growing demand.  Jason R. Baron, a professor at the University of Maryland and member of the National Archivist’s FOIA Advisory Committee,…

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Posted: May 15, 2025

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has filed a lawsuit against Flint Community Schools for failing to comply with Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act. The legal complaint comes after the school district ignored a Feb. 17 records request for more than 50 business days—well past the legal deadline.  The request…

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Posted: May 13, 2025