Iowa mixed record on open records laws during Sunshine Week
AP analysis timed with Sunshine Week shows Iowa has enacted more than a dozen laws affecting access to open records and meetings since 2001. Some measures increased secrecy, others expanded openness, with critics noting mixed results while advocates praise a tradition of government transparency.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Des Moines
Associated Press
Iowa
Freedom of Information
Kathleen Richardson
Iowa Freedom of Information Council
Iowa journalists retain some source confidentiality rights
Richardson notes Iowa Supreme Court protects journalist confidentiality even without a shielding law. Monroe says Iowa’s openness lags behind a decade ago, but the Internet improves access as agencies post records online. He cautions that maintaining balance in government transparency is an ongoing, endless battle.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Richardson
Iowa
Supreme Court
Monroe
Open government access tightens in wake of 9 11 attacks
The AP finds that after September 11 more than 60 percent of 1 023 new laws reduced access to government records meetings and databases while 284 loosened access and 123 were neutral or mixed. Legislators cite security privacy and oversight as reasons for recalibrating transparency.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lucy Dalglish
Reporter Committee For Freedom of the Press
Associated Press
World Trade Center Towers
Pentagon
New York State
Nick Spano
Spano
Oklahoma
Charles Wyrick
Department of Homeland Security
Department
Thomas
House
Senate
Open government laws tighten access since 2001 attacks
Observers say states back away from open access laws while privacy concerns rise. Iowa bars public emergency plans. Indiana keeps disciplinary actions secret except certain cases. North Carolina keeps medication error committee meetings confidential though some data are accessible federally. California seeks broad interpretation of open records. Minnesota pushes privacy with identity theft guardrails, sparking debate.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fred H. Cate
Indiana University
Iowa
Indiana
North Carolina
Also Mentioned on This Page
Ifoic.org
Iowa Newspaper Association
Inanews
Waterloo
Bill Monroe
Ounshine
Holy Grail of Security
Mark Thomas
Oklahoma Press Association
Oregon
South Carolina
California
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Charles Davis
Freedom of Information Center
Missouri
Joe
Minnesota
Tim Pawlenty
Pawlenty
Tate
Neutra
Associated Press Research
Society of Financial Service Professionals
Insurance and Financial Advisers
Cleo F. Edwards
George N. Justice
James A. Russell
Frank I. Kintzle
David H. Burke
David M. Tigges
Jay A. Kacena
Ronald A. Landherr
John A. Rife
Dale J. Thier
Ronald D. Landergott
Gary D. Speicher
Timothy J. Meyer
George H. Brunscheen
Robert J. Celichowski
Gregory F. Dunn
Philip D. Brooks
Don C. Welter
Brian D. Burns
Loren L. Coppock
Kerry B. Mann
Patrick T. Lester
Marsha Nevins
Gary R. Young
David W. Brown
David W. Verhille
Barbara J. Hagen
John T. Mark
William D. Kirkpatrick
Robert A. Anderson
Edward J. Brown
Dale F. Rettenmeier
James J. McPartland
Marvin J. Stallman
Todd J. Manternach
James L. Klauser
David L. Hardinger
Michael J. Fitzharris, Sr
Steven A. Maddison
David R. Leavitt
David L. Knutson
Thomas L. Petsche
David J. Lansing
Judy Maples-Ruth
Lawrence L. Hagerman
Jeffrey A. Johnston
James A. Smith
Randy R. Stein
Donald Homan
Allen L. Rausch
Carol A Miller
Robert E. Melchert
Michael D. Gary
John D. Kettering
Timothy F. Kneeland
Michael Tracy
T. Scott Zach
Barry L. Buchholz
Barbara A. Scoles
Ted R. Messer
Bret L. Niemuth
Martin B. Willenberg
Rick L. Seger
Scott A. Anderson
Larry G. Stolte
Andrew T. Morf
Daniel J. Frazier
Mary J. Schneekloth
Paul P. Morf
Todd Dimmer
Charles S. O’deen
Ron J. Fuhrman
John M. Leland
The
Society
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