FOIA

Arkansas

Arkansas AG approves proposed FOIA changes; supporters plan to start gathering signatures soon

Arkansas government transparency advocates expect to begin collecting signatures this week for two proposed ballot measures meant to make government records and meetings more accessible to the general public. On Monday, Attorney General Tim Griffin certified ballot language for a proposed set of changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. The decision came less […]

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Arkansas

Group will submit fourth proposed Arkansas FOIA change to AG’s office after third rejection

A government transparency group will send a fourth draft of proposed changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act after Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected its third proposal on Thursday. In his opinion, Griffin cited a “misleading provision” of the text of the proposed act and ballot title. Previous submissions contained the same problem that […]

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Arkansas

Arkansas transparency group will collect signatures for proposed amendment OK’d by AG

Arkansas government transparency advocates will begin collecting signatures for a November ballot measure to enshrine government openness in the state Constitution. Attorney General Tim Griffin certified language for four potential popular names and ballot titles, including “The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2024,” a title he substituted for the submission of “The Arkansas Government Transparency […]

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Arkansas

Arkansas AG approves ballot titles for transparency amendment

Arkansas’ attorney general approved ballot titles for a referendum that could eventually enshrine existing Freedom of Information Act laws into the state constitution.Tim Griffin certified the popular name and ballot title for four different versions of the proposed constitutional amendments.This came a day after the group, Arkansas Citizens for Transparency, filed a lawsuit against Griffin, […]

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Arkansas

Judge dismisses Arkansas AG’s FOIA lawsuit against prison board

A Central Arkansas judge dismissed Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin’s complaint against the state prison board Monday after a hearing in which the judge chided Griffin’s staff attorneys for wasting taxpayers’ money with the six-week lawsuit. Griffin alleged last month that the Arkansas Board of Corrections violated the state Freedom of Information Act and improperly […]

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Arkansas

UPDATED: Third proposed Arkansas government transparency amendment submitted to AG

This story was updated at 8:16 p.m. to include the third submission of the proposed amendment. Proposed ballot language that would make government transparency a constitutional right in Arkansas still lacks clarity and is unfit for a statewide vote, Attorney General Tim Griffin wrote in a Monday opinion. In response, the nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for […]

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Arkansas

Public libraries vs. quorum courts: an ongoing local conflict throughout Arkansas

YELLVILLE — Dana Scott hasn’t received a pay raise since the start of 2021. Scott, a librarian with 17 years of experience, has run the Marion County Library in North Arkansas for nearly seven years, and the library board of trustees has approved a merit pay raise for her every year. For the third year […]

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Arkansas

New ballot language submitted for proposed changes to Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

A nonpartisan group of government transparency advocates has revised its proposal for a citizen-initiated act that would alter the state’s Freedom of Information Act. On Thursday, Arkansas Citizens for Transparency again submitted ballot language for the proposed 2024 initiative. Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected a previous iteration of the popular name and ballot title on […]

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Arkansas

Revised ballot language submitted for Arkansas government transparency amendment

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin will review a revised proposal for a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to state government transparency. On Wednesday, the nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for Transparency again submitted ballot language for the 2024 initiative. Griffin rejected the popular name and ballot title for the group’s first attempt last week, saying […]

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Arkansas

Arkansas AG rejects proposed ballot measure meant to add clarity to Freedom of Information Act

Proposed changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act aren’t sufficient to appear on the 2024 statewide ballot, Attorney General Tim Griffin wrote in a Monday opinion. Griffin rejected the proposed ballot title and popular name for the Arkansas Government Transparency Act a week after rejecting a companion proposal for a constitutional amendment. Both proposals […]

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