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‘How to Make the Most of FOIA’ Event in D.C.

February 26, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

Do we have any readers from the District? If you live in the Washington, D.C. area (or are willing to travel!) the National Press Club Journalism Institute is hosting a fantastic-sounding FOIA panel: Event: How to Make the Most of FOIA When: March 14, 2013, 6:30 – 8:00pm Where: National […]

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Does FOIA Apply to Out-of-Towners?

March 3, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

Should states be responsive to FOIA requests from nonresidents, or should transparency advocates be kept in their own backyards? The Supreme Court is evaluating whether Virginia should be forced to turn over state documents requested by men from Rhode Island and California. The Associated Press reports that the justices seem […]

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West Chicago FOIA Controversy

March 4, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

A Freedom of Information Act request at West Chicago Elementary has found FOIA regulations at odds with federal student privacy laws. The teachers union filed a request Jan. 15 for documents that included student contact information, and concerned parents spoke out against FOIA regulations that would allow student addresses to […]

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FOIA FEST 2013

March 11, 2013 FOIA Illinois 1

The Chicago Headline Club’s first annual FOIA FEST min conjunction with The Better Government Association’s Andy Shaw, begins on Monday March 11 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the auditorium of Columbia College Chicago’s journalism school, 33 E. Congress Pkwy., 2nd floor. Food and refreshments will be […]

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FOIA Fest Recap

March 15, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

The Better Government Association’s (BGA) Andy Shaw helped the Chicago Headline Club kick off their first annual FOIA FEST. Learn more about the power of FOIA by visiting the BGA online at www.bettergov.org. Learn more about FOIA FEST here. Also: How to file a FOIA in Illinois And: FOIA Clinics

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DOJ Improves Metadata Per ‘Open Government Plan’

March 27, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

Last April, the Department of Justice unveiled an Open Government Plan that vowed to improve public access to FOIA materials. To accomplish that, a new plan focuses on making FOIA materials searchable, mimicking “commercial search engines that are already used by millions of people every day.” Think: Google. Ensuring that “web searches effectively […]

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Geneva FOIA Officer Relieved of Duty–For Sharing TOO Much Info

April 3, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

Geneva Township Highway District Freedom of Information Act officer Sheri McMurray was removed from her post March 20 amid allegations that she released information that violated attorney-client privilege, among other offenses. The issue centers on highway commissioner Mark Wissing and his opponent in a consolidated election, Michale Abts. Abts filed […]

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EPIC Submits Comments Endorsing FTC’s New FOIA Procedures

April 10, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission last week supporting several of the agency’s changes to its FOIA regulations. In addition to applauding the reduction of their request fees, the organization made the following statements [from EPIC’s website]: EPIC applauded the agency for reducing […]

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Followup in Death Row Inmate FOIA for Lethal Injection Data

April 15, 2013 FOIA Illinois 0

A recent court case involving death row inmates who filed a FOIA request for documents about lethal injection drugs continues in Arkansas. A circuit court ruled last months that the states’ open records law did not apply to the inmates’ request for documents relating to “the origin, history of quality […]