NY mayor Bill de Blasio office defends FOI request filtering
Before New York mayor Bill de Blasio ever took office in the Big Apple, he was lobbying for more transparency in the political system. Specifically, he was an advocate of more open public records laws, and of the state governor’s office adopting policies that would streamline the processing of public records requests from journalists, watchdog groups, and concerned citizens. [Continue reading]
Sale of student data firm raises privacy concerns
As you read this, millions of students across the country, and across the world have just had their graduation ceremonies from one level of education or another. Especially for those graduating high school, this can represent a huge step that sends them catapulting into the next exciting phase of their lives. In our current digital age, however, decisions of the past are likely to follow these teens into early adulthood. [Continue reading]
Criminal records an unfortunate reality for many in Colorado foster care
There is something wrong with a system that ends with more of those in its care becoming incarcerated than graduating high school, but that’s the unfortunate reality for foster children within the Colorado state system. A recent PBS analysis of … [Continue reading]
Oregon governor proposes new public records and transparency bills
Governor Kate Brown, who just recently took office, is already taking action to close up some of the loopholes and wording that led to a recent scandal with former governor Kitzhaber and, in a roundabout way, placed Brown herself in office. … [Continue reading]