The Iowa Freedom of Information Council believes that law enforcement agencies in Iowa are undermining public respect and confidence in the agencies by prohibiting people from obtaining police video of encounters with the public. This Des Moines Register article involves one such … Continue Reading
By Kathy A. Bolten Des Moines Register Iowa State University campus police began wearing body cameras this summer, the last of the state’s three public universities to use the devices. The public, though, is not privy to rules that govern how those body … Continue Reading
Des Moines Register An Iowa lawmaker is questioning the legality of $1 million in confidential settlements paid to former directors of the Iowa State Foundation. “Here we go again,” said Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, who is drafting legislation to require greater … Continue Reading
The Iowa Freedom of Information Council recently honored two Iowa newspaper editors with the council’s Harrison “Skip” Weber Friend of the First Amendment award. Steve Delaney of the Burlington Hawk Eye and Art Cullen of the Storm Lake Times were … Continue Reading
The following column appeared in the Bloomfield Democrat on Sept. 28, 2016. The author is Randy Evans, the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The events of the past couple of weeks once again have shined … Continue Reading
This column by Stephen Voyce, an English professor at the University of Iowa, was published by The Des Moines Register on Oct. 13, 2016. It was about a year ago I began submitting open records requests in response to the … Continue Reading
Another Iowa newspaper was informed last week that it must stop publishing lists of marriage licenses issued in that county. At least a half dozen newspapers across the state have been told that their long-standing practice of printing lists of … Continue Reading
An Iowa native who is an open-government adviser to the White House will be the guest speaker on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the fourth annual IowaWatch banquet. The event will be held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines … Continue Reading
The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday adopted amendments to its rules for expanded news media coverage of the state’s courts. The amendments clarify the rules implemented on May 1, 2014 when the Supreme Court made the most sweeping changes since … Continue Reading
The following column appeared last week in the Bloomfield Democrat. The author is Randy Evans, the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and a retired Des Moines Register reporter and editor. Evans writes a weekly column for … Continue Reading