The following column was written by Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The column appeared in several Iowa newspapers. The Iowa Legislature wrote some wonderful concepts into the state’s government transparency laws. For example: … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board approved an advisory opinion in July that encourages government agencies to make public the email addresses officials use to conduct government business. The action came on a 7-1 vote following several months of back-and-forth discussion … Continue Reading
Mark Ridolfi, assistant editor of the North Scott Press in Eldridge, recently received the Golden Quill award from the International Society of Weekly Newspaper editors. The award honored Ridolfi for his editorial column on changes the Iowa Legislature made in … Continue Reading
By Jason Clayworth Des Moines Register Iowa’s recently expanded gun law prohibits Polk County’s sheriff from revealing whether a man who accidentally shot and injured two people in Des Moines Sunday had a valid permit to carry the handgun. That man … Continue Reading
By Clark Kauffman Des Moines Register Ten of the nation’s 100 worst puppy mills are based in Iowa, according to a new report from the Humane Society of the United States. But federal policies make it almost impossible for the … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board continues to struggle over how to address a state government agency’s refusal to release the email addresses it uses to communicate with members of its governing board. Laura Belin of Windsor Heights writes the Bleeding … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board sent a strong message to government boards at its May meeting that such board should not use so-called “serial meetings” to keep the public out of discussions that should be occurring during public meetings. The … Continue Reading
The following column by Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, appeared in several newspapers around the state. The column was written after Evans spoke at the May meeting of the Iowa Public Information Board. By … Continue Reading
Iowa Freedom of Information Council executive director Randy Evans was interviewed by the Des Moines Business Record about his work on behalf of better public access to government meetings and records in Iowa. The interview can be found here: BusinessRecord.article.2018.
The Iowa Freedom of Information Council, with valuable help from the Iowa Code Editor’s Office, is making available a summary of changes made to Iowa’s “sunshine” laws during the 2017 session of the Legislature. The summary document is available here: Chapter22.2017.Changes … Continue Reading