Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project

Study: Copy fee provisions should be more specific, attorney argues - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information A recent article in the Wyoming Law Review examines copy fee provisions in the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, Wyoming law, and Colorado law, concluding that vague laws allowing “reasonable” copy fee...

Do vague “reasonable” copy fee laws let agencies overcharge? A new study says yes, and even stricter laws may not stop it. Some countries have banned copy fees entirely. Should the U.S. do the same? 📝

brechner.org/2025/08/14/s...
#FOIA #OpenGovernment #Transparency #PublicRecords

Legal Victory for MEA is a Win for Government Transparency and Accountability | Midwest Environmental Advocates In a decision issued this week, an appellate court addressed two significant issues that will affect open government and the public records law moving forward: whether text messages on private cell ph...

A Wisconsin appeals court ruled July 29 that public officials can’t hide their government-related text messages on private cell phones.

midwestadvocates.org/legal-victor...

#FOIA #FOI #lawsuit #wisconsin

Washington lawmakers reinstate 30-day email auto-delete policy, raising transparency concerns - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Washington state House lawmakers have reinstated a controversial email auto-deletion policy, allowing most legislative emails, including those about bills and communications with lobbyists, to be perm...

🚨 Washington lawmakers are auto-deleting emails again.

Under a new policy, emails not from a bill’s prime sponsor can be erased after 30 days, limiting the public's ability to track how laws are made.

brechner.org/2025/08/12/w...

#FOIA #SunshineLaws #Transparency

📞 A new FOI hotline just dropped in Indiana

Call 260-ASK-ICOG for help with public records, open meetings, or figuring out what to do if your request gets denied.

Free. Volunteer-run. Here to help.
🔗 www.indystar.com/story/news/l...
#FOIA #Transparency #PublicAccess #Indiana

Dark deserts: Dwindling newspapers associated with greater government secrecy - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information A new study from the Brechner Freedom of Information Project finds that states with weaker newspaper environments are associated with greater government secrecy.

🗞️ New @BrechnerFOI study finds fewer newspapers per capita = more violations of public records laws.

“Government transparency is never guaranteed.” – Brett Posner-Ferdman
📖 brechner.org/2025/08/05/d...

#FOIA #Transparency

Brechner FOI director David Cuillier flags Florida for scrubbing ‘Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility records - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Brechner Freedom of Information Project director David Cuillier is questioning Florida’s decision to remove detailed contract records tied to its new $250 million detention camp from a public website.

Florida pulled contract details for its $250 million ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention camp after reporters started asking questions.

📰 Read more: brechner.org/2025/07/29/b...

Trump administration releases FBI records on MLK Jr. despite his family’s opposition Martin Luther King Jr.'s two living children are urging people to tread lightly with a newly released trove of records related to their father's assassination.

240,000+ pages of FBI files on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have been released.

Originally sealed until 2027, the documents include records of surveillance and disinformation efforts.

King’s children opposed the early release.

www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...

#FOI #FOIA

🗂️ FOI Tip: Use people skills to get records. Let officials vent. Listen and repeat what you heard. Use “I” not “you” statements. Talk informally, side-by-side, to avoid creating opposition.

#FOI #FOITips #PublicRecords

Study: Government AI in FOIA requires transparency measures - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information As federal agencies increasingly use artificial intelligence to process public records requests, new research calls for stronger transparency requirements. In the Journal of the National Association o...

📲 Ronald Capaldi’s new article in the Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary urges mandated algorithmic audits and clearer FOIA trade secret rules to ensure transparency in government AI use.

Read more: brechner.org/2025/07/24/s...

🚨 New Brechner Report out now!

This edition features a powerful new collab: MuckRock, NFOIC, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press & the Brechner FOI Project are teaming up to support local journalists.

Read it here: brechner.org/resources/br...
#FOIA #opengov #transparency

Text messages are public records. How do you request them? Whether they appear in a yellow lined notebook or on white printer paper, government documents are government documents.

📲 New @MuckRock guide on requesting text messages as public records. Learn what counts and how to request them.

Read it here: www.muckrock.com/news/archive...

#FOI #FOIA #openrecords

🗂️ Remember: Secrecy Tracker is free

Find bills in any state or Congress that could limit access to records or meetings.
Stay informed: secrecytracker.org

MuckRock, NFOIC and other leading transparency groups receive $1.25M Press Forward grant to help local journalists obtain government records Journalism relies on public records, but transparency laws are weakening nationwide, with longer response times, high fees and more frequent rejections. Agencies know that few newsrooms can research a...

Getting access to public docs is getting harder, particularly at the local level. I'm excited for @muckrock.com @nfoic.bsky.social @rcfp.org and the @brechnerfoi.bsky.social to work together to to fight for information more effectively all across the country: www.muckrock.com/news/archive...

Watchdog group sues DOJ for records on judicial nominee Emil Bove - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Watchdog group, American Oversight has filed a lawsuit in federal court to compel the United States Justice Department to release records related to Emil Bove, a senior DOJ official and federal judici...

🗞️ Watchdog sues DOJ for records on judicial nominee Emil Bove.

FOIA lawsuit seeks emails about deportations, NYC Mayor Adams’ case, and other controversies as Bove’s confirmation vote nears.

Details: brechner.org/2025/07/15/w...

US FDA publishes 200 complete response letters from archive in transparency drive The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday publicly shared over 200 archived so-called complete response letters related to medicines that were later approved, in a bid to improve transparency under the leadership of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

💊 FDA proactively releases 200+ drug rejection letters explaining initial non-approvals for medicines later approved.

www.reuters.com/business/hea...

🗞️ Did you miss this in the Brechner Report?

📌 69% of investigative journalists say limited access to records is the biggest barrier to accountability.

Frequent delays, denials, high fees, and political pressure are worsening the problem.

Read more:
brechner.org/resources/br...

Gov. DeSantis signs measure shielding some court documents from public records requests The narrowly tailored measure is meant to keep records a court rejected as defamatory from public dissemination.

Gov. DeSantis signed SB 1652, shielding some stricken court records from public release. 🧾

The law applies to noncriminal filings deemed defamatory or irrelevant by a judge—aimed at curbing “vexatious litigation.”

📄 floridapolitics.com/archives/744...

#foi #foia #florida

Kentucky AG: Union violated law allowing access to public records The Kentucky AG'ss Office has issued an opinion stating the City of Union "violated the Open Records Act." The city disagrees. Read more.

KY AG says City of Union violated Open Records Act 📄

The city failed to respond on time, explain redactions, or conduct a full search.

No court action expected, but new phones for officials coming July 1.
🔗 linknky.com/news/2025/06...

#foi #foia

‘Kept in the dark.’ Group sues feds for withholding Hanford nuclear site info “When it comes to government transparency and the Hanford nuclear site, the stakes couldn’t be higher for people who rely on the Columbia.”

Environmental group sues U.S. Department of Energy for records pertaining to potential clean-energy developments that could further delay cleanup at the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state.

🔗 Read the full story: www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/h...

Sebastian County's prosecutor wants the Arkansas AG to investigate possible criminal FOIA violations in Fort Smith. Officials allegedly deleted public records.

More: www.nwahomepage.com/news/sebasti...

Ansonia violated FOIA with written request policy Read More at Inside Investigator >>

🚨 A Connecticut city violated the state’s open record law by requiring written requests for public records. insideinvestigator.org/ansonia-viol...

#FOIA

Council says cost to comply with Open Records request should prompt changes LAWTON, OK — A $67,000 price tag for complying with an Open Records Act request may prompt City Council members to talk to state legislators about changes in the law.

In Lawton, Oklahoma, a $30K open records request has city officials calling for changes to state law.

Council members say they’ll talk to lawmakers about the cost of compliance.
📰 www.swoknews.com/news/council...

#FOIA

DHS collecting DNA as part of larger "massive surveillance" effort: Lawsuit "The country deserves to know the details of DHS's DNA collection program," Georgetown Law's Stevie Glaberson told Newsweek.

A new lawsuit claims DHS failed to respond to FOIA requests about its DNA collection program for noncitizens. 🔎

www.newsweek.com/dhs-cbp-ice-...

#FOIA #lawsuit

Brechner Director David Cuillier comments on Alabama’s low public records compliance - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Access to public records continues to vary widely by state, with Alabama ranking last in compliance, according to a recent analysis.

“Didn’t really move the needle.”

Brechner Director David Cuillier comments on Alabama’s low FOI compliance in Al.com latest report. He points to delays, fees and vague rejections.

brechner.org/2025/06/03/b...

#FOI #openrecords

Goldwater Defends Transparency in Two Public Records Lawsuits Government transparency laws like the federal Freedom of Information Act and the many state versions of that law are designed..

📄 Goldwater Institute asks Arizona Supreme Court to review two public records cases:

📌 City of Phoenix
📌 University of Arizona

www.goldwaterinstitute.org/goldwater-de...

#FOI #openrecords #lawsuit

Pa. school board turns to state Supreme Court in bid to shield officials' emails The case stems from a records request filed by the USA TODAY Network for emails between Penncrest officials and a religious liberties law firm.

Penncrest School District is asking the PA Supreme Court to keep board emails from personal accounts private.

Lower courts say they must be released under the PA Right-to-Know Law if they involve public business.
www.tricountyindependent.com/story/news/e...

#foi #lawsuits #openrecords

Our Right to Know: Julia Roeder SunshineWeek.org

Meet Julia Roeder, a Sunshine Week FOI Champion! 🌞 In high school, she tackled her first FOI challenge, learning the power of transparency & holding those in power accountable with the help of @SPLC.

Read her story here: sunshineweek.org/our-right-to...

#SunshineWeek #FOI

A new bill in Wisconsin could make the WIAA subject to public records & open meetings laws! Will it pass?

brechner.org/2025/02/04/w...

Freedom of Information Research Competition call for proposals – due May 5 - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information The seventh annual Freedom of Information Research Competition, sponsored by the National Freedom of Information Coalition and University of Florida Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, ...

🚨 FOI Research Competition Alert 🚨 Submit your one-page proposal on freedom of information research for a chance to win cash prizes and have your paper published! 🏆

Proposals due May 5, 2025!

brechner.org/2025/02/03/f...

🚨 Registration is NOW OPEN for Sunshine Fest 2024 in Washington, D.C.! Join us March 19-20 for a two-day celebration of transparency and open government.

🔗 Register here: sunshinefest.eventbrite.com

#SunshineWeek2025 #SunshineFest #BrechnerFOI