First Amendment News

Los Angeles area football stadium runs afoul of Brown Act

Citizens claim the Industry City Council broke the Brown Act when they approved an environmental report on a proposed National Football League stadium. The city attorney said that for environmental reports the law does not require public hearings. –DB San Gabriel Valley Tribune May 21, 2009 By Amanda Baumfeld INDUSTRY, Calif. – A citizen’s group believes the City Council violated the state’s public meeting laws when it approved a supplemental environmental report on a proposed

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Government practices in preserving electronic records called 'fatally flawed'

A panel of experts told a committee of the House of Representatives that the National Archives and Records Administration is failing to conserve agency electronic records, especially e-mails. -DB Nextgov.com May 21, 2009 By Jill R. Aitoro The government’s practices in preserving electronic records is “fatally flawed,” and the National Archives and Records Administration must enforce stricter policies to store agencies records, especially e-mail messages, a panel of records management professionals told a House hearing

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New federal chief information officer establishes web site to provide transparency

Recently appointed federal chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, is energized by the prospect of harnessing technology to increase transparency and tap into citizens’ ideas to improve government. -DB Nextgov.com May 20, 2009 Since his appointment in March as federal chief information officer, Vivek Kundra has had a full plate. Also the e-government administrator at the Office of Management and Budget, Kundra has taken on the formidable task of increasing the transparency of government data and

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New British freedom of information act used to expose House of Commons scandal

London’s Daily Telegraph used computer records to probe the spending of British politicians leading to the exposure of dubious practices of both Labor and Conservative members of Parliament and the ousting of the speaker of the House of Commons. -DB New York Times May 19, 2009 By John F. Burns LONDON — It began modestly enough back in 2005, when an American freelance writer and journalism teacher living in London, Heather Brooke, entered a request

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Sixth grader’s report on Harvey Milk disallowed in Southern California classroom

An elementary school principal banned a report on gay leader Harvey Milk from the classroom, saying it was “sensitive” and came under the school’s controversial issue policy. The ACLU says the act was one of blatant censorship and threatened a lawsuit. -DB San Diego 6 (XETV-TV) May 20, 2009 By Elex Michaelson “I’m Harvey Milk, and I’m here to recruit you!” That line was Harvey Milk’s signature at the beginning of every speech. When 6th

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