Transparency News 1/13/15

State and Local Stories

BELL, R. — Bill would make public service corporationswho have filed certificates or other permitting documents with the State Corporation Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or others subject to FOIA.    
HB1696

RUFF — Moves a truncated definition of what constitutes a meeting and what does not from 2.2-3707 into the definitions section (2.2-3701). This is not a substantive chage.    
SB969

Delegate Jim LeMunyon has been selected by the House of Delegates’ leadership to chair the FOIA and Procurement Subcommittee of the General Laws Committee. This subcommittee has responsibility for matters pertaining to government transparency and accountability, including Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and laws related to state government contracting. General Laws Committee chairman Todd Gilbert said, “In addition to Jim’s passion for open government, he also serves as vice-chairman of the Freedom of Information Act Advisory Council, a non-partisan council which meets throughout the year consisting mostly of private citizens. With Jim as chairman of the subcommittee, the House of Delegates will be able to better coordinate its work with the FOIA Council.” 
NOTE: LeMunyon has been on VCOG’s board but he resigned his seat Monday.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch obtained local state and government employees’ names, job titles and salaries using the state’s Freedom of Information statute. As required by law, the governments and school systems provided information for more than 42,000 employees. The FOI request for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2013, and ended June 31, 2014, is part of The Times-Dispatch’s ongoing effort to report to you findings about government spending and the use of taxpayer money. The newspaper used the data to create this searchable database. The Times-Dispatch removed part-time workers and those reported as less than $10,000 a year before calculating the median salary of $44,056. The names of employees who fall below that median are not included in the online database.
Times-Dispatch
 

National Stories

New York Times reporter James Risen will not be called to testify in the trial of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA officer charged with leaking classified information, the Department of Justice said in court papers filed Monday.
New York Times

Secrecy News newsletter for Jan. 12:
"INSIDER THREAT" PROGRAM LAGS BEHIND SCHEDULE
IC INSPECTOR GENERAL FINDS NO OVERCLASSIFICATION
DOD CYBER OPERATIONS, AND MORE FROM CRS
Secrecy News

The Supreme Court voiced displeasure Monday with municipal sign ordinances that favor some messages over others, but many justices worried that too much freedom of speech could exacerbate highway clutter. In a case rife with religious and political overtones, the justices did not appear to like any of their options. At issue was a municipal code from Gilbert, Ariz., that restricts signs advertising upcoming events far more than political or ideological signs. Though political signs can be 32 square feet and remain up for five months, the town limits directional signs to 6 square feet and 13 hours. That's bad news for Good News Community Church, which relies on the signs to attract a few dozen worshipers. "It is saying that political speech in this case is more valuable than an invitation to church," said David Cortman, the church's lawyer. The justices clearly didn't approve of the town's rating system, which Justice Stephen Breyer termed "a little unreasonable."
USA Today

Editorials/Columns