Project Sunshine is a national initiative with other groups to promote recognition of the importance of transparency and freedom of information in government.
For more information
Sunshine in Government Initiative
Sunshine Week 2007 Roundup
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PANELISTS
Assistant Attorney General Amye Bensenhaver, who writes
many of the opinions from the Attorney General's office interpreting
the law and responding to appeals. The Attorney General's office is
also involved in educating mayors, county attorneys, local government
officials and university personnel about their duty under Kentucky's
open meetings and open records laws.
John Nelson, former president of the Kentucky Press
Association and managing editor of the Danville Advocate Messenger.
While Nelson was president of the Kentucky Press Association, every
county was subjected to a "records audit" to determine how
responsive local jailers, school boards and other agencies were to
walk-in and written records requests. He and the KPA are advocates
for opening up government records including efforts to provide access
to juvenile court records and opposing laws to permit the expunging
of felony records.
Bill Estep, veteran records user and investigative
reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader, who recently used records
to determine how successful tax credits and economic development incentives
were in wooing businesses to local communities.
Jim Todd, editor of the Richmond Register, who will
provide a perspective on how responsive our local government is to
the spirit of the open meetings and open records law.
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Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol, Suite 118
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601-3449
Phone (502) 696-5300
Fax (502) 564-2894 |
TERRIFIC WEB RESOURCES
The Kentucky Attorney Generals offices provides legal opinions, handbook
on the law, tips for making requests.
"Protecting
Your Right to Know," (120kb PDF) describes the rules
and procedures that apply to citizen action under those laws. The booklet
contains a sample open records request, sample open records appeal,
sample open meetings complaint, and sample open meetings appeal.
"Your
Duty Under The Law." (215kb PDF) a booklet to assist
public officials in understanding their duties under the open records
and open meetings laws. Since 2005, the AG is charged with distributing
this brochure to newly elected officials, school superintendents and
their attorneys and presidents of state universities who must maintain
a signed proof of receipt of the documents. If you serve on an appointed
committee or commission, you are required to sign a statement that
you have received the document.
In addition, a second publication, Managing
Public Records, is a brochure
produced by the Department for Libraries and Archives to provide basic
information about the laws pertaining to records management and retention
by local agencies.
Outline
of Kentucky Open Records and Open Meetings Law. A booklet to
assist in researching the law on open records and open meetings, the
Attorney General has prepared an If you would like a printed copy of
the booklet, write Civil / Open Records, Office of Attorney General,
700 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, or call (502) 696-5300,
and ask for a copy of the booklet "Outline of Open Records Law."
ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS
List of OAG decisions: http://ag.ky.gov/civil/oromlist.htm
A list and searchable database of open records and open meetings decisions
since 1993. The AG opinions are coded by year, type (ORD for open records
decision and OMD for open meetings decision), and a number. Use the
search box in the upper-right corner of this page to search Open
Records & Open
Meetings decisions by keyword, year, or ORD/OMD number. Narrow your
search by specifying ORD (for Open Records Decision) or OMD (for
Open Meetings Decision), then a space, then your keyword, two-digit
year, or OR/OM number. The link generated is to a Microsoft Word
text file that you can download and open, read and print.
For example: a recent decision is labeled 07-ORD-033 involves an EKU
student seeking confidentiality agreements signed by EKU's parking appeals
committee. The Feb. 28, 2007 AG opinion upheld the university's action
because the student had made an E-mail request which is not considered
an official open records request under current law. The university also
maintained such records did not exist. |
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| GENERAL RESOURCES |
FIRST
AMENDMENT CENTER Link: http:// www.firstamendmentcenter.org/
Comprehensive research coverage of key First Amendment issues and topics,
daily First Amendment news, a unique First Amendment Library and guest
analyses by respected legal specialists. The site is operated by The
First Amendment Center, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.,
and in Arlington, Va. Wonderful links from this site including these
two described below.
This page in particular will help you in trying to find out what kind
of federal records are available and how to access them.
The Department
of Justice's Office of Information and Privacy is the
principal contact point within the executive branch for advice and policy
guidance on matters pertaining to the administration of the Freedom of
Information Act. Through OIP's FOIA Counselor service, experienced FOIA
advisers are available to respond to FOIA-related inquiries at (202)
514-3642 (514-FOIA). Links to the principal FOIA contacts at all federal
agencies dealing regularly with FOIA matters. In some instances (e.g.,
the Department of Defense), all major agency components are listed individually
under the agencies. In other instances (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration),
major agency components are listed separately. In still other instances
(e.g., the Department of Labor), no components are listed, as it is the
agency's preference that all FOIA contacts be made through its main FOIA
office. Fax numbers and e-mail addresses are provided as a matter of
agency preference as well. All telephone and fax numbers are listed by
local area code, which can be dialed in the federal long distance system.
OIP should be notified whenever there is a change in a principal agency
FOIA contact or any change in title, telephone or fax number, or address.
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most
broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free
practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information
vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its nearly
10,000 members; works to inspire and educate current and future journalists
through professional development; and protects First Amendment guarantees
of freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts. This link
directs you to a variety of up-to-date information on national and
state-by-state freedom of information news as well as tips on accessing
information.
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