Secrecy Tracker

A bill clarifying aspects of Arkansas’ public meetings law has passed the Senate and is now heading to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 227 specifies what city councils, quorum courts, and school boards can discuss outside of a public meeting. It also allows courts to nullify decisions made by a…

In Oklahoma, House Bill 2163, proposes the creation of a Public Access Counselor within the Office of the Attorney General to handle complaints related to denied public records.  According to reporting from the Oklahoma Voice, Republican House Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Orlando, who authored the bill, said he hopes this will…

Iowa House representatives are moving forward with legislation that aims to increase training for local officials on open meetings and public record laws, and to raise penalties for open meeting violations According to a report from Iowa Capital Dispatch, the passing of House File 706 marks the second year that…

The Utah Legislature has received the Society of Professional Journalists’ Black Hole Award, a dubious honor that highlights significant violations of the public’s right to know. The award was presented for two new laws, Senate Bill 277 and House Bill 69, passed in the 2025 General Session that alter how…

A new bill could bring public access back to the selection process for Florida’s public university and college presidents.  According to reporting from The Daytona Beach News- Journal, Republican state Sen. Alexis Calatayud and state rep. Michelle Salzman filed identical bills, SB 1726 and HB 1321, to remove the public…

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 Utah Senate committee narrowly approved a bill that would dismantle the citizen-led committee responsible for resolving disputes over access to government records. The proposal would replace the State Records Committee with an administrative law judge appointed by the governor.  Following continued reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune, Senate Majority…

A proposed change to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has hit a roadblock after concerns raised by Fairfax County officials prompted state lawmakers to reconsider the bill. According to reporting from FFX Now, the measure, which aims to enhance transparency in local government decision-making, passed the Virginia Senate unanimously…

After more than three decades of resolving disputes over public access to records, the Utah Legislature may soon consider a bill that would dismantle the State Records Committee.  According to reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell is working on a proposal that could…

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 Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) launched today a national Secrecy Tracker to help identify legislation that threatens the public’s access to government records and meetings.  The tool allows anyone for free to see what bills are…

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, has signaled that expanding the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to include top government offices is not a priority for him.   Michigan is one of only two states that fully exempts the governor and lawmakers from public records requests. …