foia

SESSION SNAPSHOT: The Arkansas Legislature takes a break

BY: and - March 17, 2023

The Arkansas House and Senate adjourned on Thursday for a week off, and the Spring Break probably comes at a good time. Each legislative session hits a point — meetings go longer and patience grows shorter. This week, there seemed to be an uptick in bills failing on the floor of both the House and […]

COMMENTARY

A win for keeping the public in public meetings in Arkansas

BY: - March 16, 2023

Government transparency supporters in Arkansas won a skirmish Wednesday in a long-running battle over the public’s right to know. An Arkansas House committee, on a split voice vote, rejected proposed legislation that defined a public meeting as a quorum of a city, county or school district governing body or other state boards or commissions.  House […]

COMMENTARY

Gutting Arkansas’ open meetings law

BY: - March 14, 2023

I spoke too soon. Yesterday, I published a hopeful opinion piece about legislation that, if passed, would enhance the public’s right to know enshrined in Arkansas’ 56-year-old Freedom of Information Act. One of those bills, Senate Bill 382, would define what a public meeting is. As I noted in Monday’s column, the FOIA doesn’t specify […]

COMMENTARY

Sunshine breaks through? Three bills cast a ray of hope

BY: - March 13, 2023

Just in time for Sunshine Week come several bills affecting Arkansas’ landmark Freedom of Information Act.  Usually, legislative proposals involving the FOIA seek to remove more records or government activity from public scrutiny, not make things more transparent. In fact, a couple such bills have been filed in the current session. But I’d like to […]