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Virginia's FOIA has a similar state-resident provision, not yet tested in the court.

A complete compendium of information on every state's open records and open meetings laws.

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Few localities archive e-mails

July 16, 2006 12:50 am

  

By EMILY BATTLE

When elected officials use e-mail to talk about government business, they're creating public documents that have to be saved and made accessible to the public just like paper records.

Courts, councils and cops work for the citizens and it's their taxes that are paying for the work. That's why citizens should know how that money is being spent and how decisions are made.

Sometimes public officials don't want to share information to which the public has a right. That's when we employ the Freedom of Information Act. (Gordon Hickey, Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Sunshine Sunday editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch

A little spring sunshine after a long winter can do wonders for the mind, body and spirit.
It is energizing and restorative.
A different sort of "sunshine" imparts similar uplifting effects to governmental bodies ? state, federal and local. This is the sunshine generated by the Freedom of Information Act, which turns 40 this year. Its light penetrates the darkest crannies of government offices, abhors secrets and prompts leaders to conduct the public's business in public.
But the law isn't perfect or uniform. Different states set

Sunshine Week column by Frosty Landon

Virginia has enacted more than 30 changes to its Freedom of Information Act since 9/11

Analysis: States steadily restricting info

By ROBERT TANNER
AP NATIONAL WRITER

States have steadily limited the public's access to government information since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a new Associated Press analysis of laws in all 50 states has found. Legislatures have passed more than 1,000 laws changing access to information, approving more than twice as many measures that restrict information as laws that open government books.

Some things your government doesn't have to tell you about: