Current Headlines

Two interesting articles from the Smithfield Times, which does not have online links. One is about opposition by some board of supervisors members to having someone who has written critical letters to the editor about the board barred from appointment to the Planning Commission. The other is about an attempt to have all requests for information by board members to go through the county administrator. Read both articles here.

A federal district court in Richmond upheld Virginia's limitation on the use of the state's Freedom of Information Act to citizens of the Commonwealth (and newspapers covering Virginia). The court agreed that the plaintiffs had standing to bring the suit (a technical issue that was previously disputed), but also ruled the limitation does not burden fundamental rights within the Privileges & Immunities Clause.

Keep track of access-related bills in the 2011 General Assembly with VCOG's legislative chart. New bills are being added, and once the session starts, actions will be taken quickly, so check back often.

The Virginia Coalition for Open Government has submitted comments to the Governor's Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring in opposition to the proposal to eliminate the FOIA Council. Read the comments here.

The VCOG Blog is now INTERACTIVE! Users can register and comment on VCOG Blog posts. Tell us what YOU think about the Governor's Government Reform Commission's idea to cut the FOIA Council and what the FOIA Council means to you. Click here to join the conversation.

The December 2010 issue of VCOG's monthly e-mail newsletter is also online here.