How Public Records Have Revealed the Antiquated State of Pennsylvania’s Health Care Laws   

Thomas Kimbrell  Transparency laws like the FOIA and state open records and meetings laws are championed as tools to check government overreach, expose government waste, and hold government officials accountable.  Indeed, these are important functions of transparency measures.  Beyond transparency laws’ more sensational use cases, public records can also be used to highlight the inefficiencies…

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FOIA Reflects the Spirit and Principles of the Great American Experiment 

Liam Gallagher  Just under 250 years ago, a groundbreaking experiment unfolded.  One of the most significant in human history.  In 1776 the Continental Congress met, severed ties with England, and founded the United States.  Guided by the principles of freedom and self-governance, we have never looked back.  Ours is a government that truly derives its…

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Transparent, Open Government: What It Takes, What It Delivers,  And How It Actually Helps Governments

Greg Brooks & Patrick Tuohey  W​e all understand that transparency in government is an unalloyed good, but that doesn’t mean it’s welcome or easy.  Open government is more than assigning the information technology officer to build—or hiring a consultant to build—a web-portal showcasing every financial transaction.  And transparency is more than a public information officer…

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Check the Fine Print: The Hidden Cost of Reading Regulations 

Andrew Blackburn Of all the categories of government-issued documents, regulations should be the easiest to access.  Regulations represent the rules of the road, and anyone looking to operate a business in the United States is obligated to adhere to them, lest they incur the wrath of the executive branch.  Unfortunately, over 2,000 federal regulations, key…

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Accounting for Nonprofit FOIA Litigators 

Allan Blutstein  In an essay for AFPF’s Sunshine Week symposium last year, Rutgers University law professor Bernard Bell defended public interest groups against criticisms concerning the quantity and nature of their FOIA requests and their proclivity to litigate.1  In doing so, Professor Bell indirectly referenced a study by the FOIA Project that identified the most…

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Don’t Limit Open Records Requests to State Citizens 

Kevin Schmidt  In October 2023, Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) joined with eight other center-right organizations working in the transparency space to form the Right On Transparency coalition.  This first-of-its-kind coalition aims to improve public records and open meetings laws, incentivize proactive disclosure of records, and modernize records management to reflect emerging technology.  You can…

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Copyright Claims Can’t Come at the Expense of Public Transparency 

Ben Isgur and Braden H. Boucek  It’s safe to say that what’s being taught in schools is a hot topic these days.  Parents around the country are discussing, often passionately, their children’s instructional materials and whether they are appropriate.  Central to this debate, like any other, are the facts—what are kids being taught?  But a…

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The “Right” Voice on Transparency and Openness 

Ryan Mulvey  Welcome to Sunshine Week 2024!  As I explained last week in Americans for Prosperity’s (AFP) latest Civil Liberties newsletter, Sunshine Week is that special time of the year when we acknowledge the importance of open government, transparency, and the role that Freedom of Information (FOI) laws have played in holding those in power…

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