January 2010 Newsletter
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Sun breaks through at VCOG annual conference
More than 70 people attended the Virginia Coalition for Open Government’s 10th conference, Access 2009, at the historic Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton.Attorney General-elect, Ken Cuccinelli (right), then a candidate, spoke to the group on Oct. 16, and more than a dozen panelists and moderators covered a range of topics: from FOIA basics and judicial…
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Remember FOIA when contemplating new technology
Back when he was still roaming the halls of the Virginia General Assembly, and keeping everyone laughing along the way, Del. Chip Woodrum added a nice little provision to the law governing purchases made under the Virginia Public Procurement Act.Section 2.2-1111(B)(2) says the Department of General Services’ Division of Purchases and Supply may require that…
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VCOG honors citizen, media & government FOI heroes
The Virginia Coalition for Open Government gave its annual FOI awards to a Christiansburg citizen-activist, a Bristol reporter, and the IT departments of two Northern Virginia localities.Carol Lindstrom received the Laurence E. Richardson award for individual citizen contributions to open government. Lindstrom single-handedly created a city Web site since the Christiansburg government did not have…
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Around the Commonwealth (FOIA updates)
CHARLOTTESVILLE – The University of Virginia has begun posting its doctors’ financial dealings online for the world to see. According to a Daily Progress news story by reporter Ted Strong, the decision mirrors a national trend in the health-care industry toward stricter reporting standards and also part of a years-long progression at UVA toward greater…
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Calling All Attorneys!
Several times a month, the Virginia Coalition for Open Government fields calls from citizens on the verge of filing a FOIA lawsuit. The form for filing a suit in district court is relatively straightforward, and FOIA cases are put on an expedited docket. Still, citizens are understandably wary of embarking into the judicial system without…
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VCOG debuts e-newsetter
The Virginia Coalition for Open Government launched a monthly e-mail/Internet newsletter in November.Distributed using the online direct e-mail service Vertical Response, The Sunshine Report: Online is sent to those who have signed up to receive electronic copies of our paper newsletters, as well as to our listserv subscribers, members for whom we have e-mail addresses…
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Ten months after pledge, Obama releases openness plan
On Dec. 8, President Barack Obama issued the long-awaited Open Government Directive. The directive sets a schedule for agencies to meet various goals related to access to information. Announced by Obama’s Chief Technology Officer (and former Virginia Secretary of Technology) Aneesh Chopra, the directive was developed with public input as part of the Open Government…
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2010 Legislative Preview
The Virginia General Assembly will convene Jan. 13 for a 60-day session. The November 2009 elections resulted in a Republican gain of six House seats, for a Republican-Democrat-Independent split of 59-39-2.More than 30 races were uncontested, including Republican James Edmunds’ unopposed bid to fill Clarke Hogan’s seat in the 60th District.A recount in the 17th…
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FOIA Council Opinions & Updates
In a proposed measure endorsed by the FOI Advisory Council, FOIA would gain an exemption for the account numbers of personal and government credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts and other financial institution accounts.The council’s action came upon the recommendation of its Personal Identifying Information Subcommittee (PII), which met several times this summer and fall…
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FOIA 101 – Pre-meeting Meetings
The Freedom of Information Act defines a “meeting” as including work sessions of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. If it’s a meeting under FOIA,…