ACLU-VA Open Government’s Portfolio

ACLU of Virginia joins the Virginia Press Association in opposing this legislation that would remove notices of pending government action from community newspapers and authorize localities to publish the notices only on government-run websites. ACLU-VA and the VPA believe that government should not be the only check on dissemination of public information. Newspapers continue to be the way most adults gather information about their government, particularly in communities with little or no high-speed internet connections. The cost of newspaper notices is not significant especially compared to the cost of developing and maintaining a secure website. Once printed in a newspaper, a government notice cannot be changed which is not true of information maintained on a website. Continued publication of public notices in newspapers is important to protecting transparency of information and open government.

ACLU of Virginia joins the Virginia Press Association in opposing this legislation that would remove notices of pending government action from community newspapers and authorize localities to publish the notices only on government-run websites. ACLU-VA and the VPA believe that government should not be the only check on dissemination of public information. Newspapers continue to be the way most adults gather information about their government, particularly in communities with little or no high-speed internet connections. The cost of newspaper notices is not significant especially compared to the cost of developing and maintaining a secure website. Once printed in a newspaper, a government notice cannot be changed which is not true of information maintained on a website. Continued publication of public notices in newspapers is important to protecting transparency of information and open government.

ACLU of Virginia joins the Virginia Press Association in opposing this legislation that would remove notices of pending government action from community newspapers and authorize localities to publish the notices only on government-run websites. ACLU-VA and the VPA believe that government should not be the only check on dissemination of public information. Newspapers continue to be the way most adults gather information about their government, particularly in communities with little or no high-speed internet connections. The cost of newspaper notices is not significant especially compared to the cost of developing and maintaining a secure website. Once printed in a newspaper, a government notice cannot be changed which is not true of information maintained on a website. Continued publication of public notices in newspapers is important to protecting transparency of information and open government.

ACLU of Virginia strongly supports this legislation which would require any agency using drones or courts issuing warrants to use drones to keep records of such use and to make those records available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act.

ACLU of Virginia supports making information on the opportunities to do business with state and local government more readily available both online and in print. ACLU of Virginia opposes allowing notices of requests for proposals to be published only on websites and not in newspapers of general circulation.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation that would apply to boards of visitors open meetings and other provisions of FOIA.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation that permits a member of a public body to participate in a meeting electronically for either emergency or personal reasons.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation that could limit the public's ability to participate in and attend public meetings of regional authorities.

ACLU of Virginia supports this legislation that, as amended in committee, will assure those denied parole a statement of reasons for the denial.

ACLU of Virginia supports allowing people living outside of Virginia to request information under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The law already allows out of state media companies to do so. There is no reason not to allow individuals from other states to request information. At the same time, the ACLU of Virginia is concerned that the language of the proposed bill limits the right to seek access to public information to "citizens." There is no reason to restrict the ability of any person in the country lawfully to access public records, including legal permanent residents, students here on student visas, and persons in the country lawfully to work.

ACLU of Virginia supports providing information to citizens about the costs of accessing public records under FOIA.

ACLU of Virginia supports making information on the opportunities to do business with state and local government more readily available both online and in print. ACLU of Virginia opposes allowing notices of requests for proposals to be published only on websites and not in newspapers of general circulation.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation that would extend FOIA to the State Corporation Commission.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this resolution that asks the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council to study the practices of the Virginia Parole Board.

ACLU of Virginia joins the Virginia Press Association in opposing this legislation that would remove notices of pending government action from community newspapers and authorize localities to publish the notices only on government-run websites. ACLU-VA and the VPA believe that government should not be the only check on dissemination of public information. Newspapers continue to be the way most adults gather information about their government, particularly in communities with little or no high-speed internet connections. The cost of newspaper notices is not significant especially compared to the cost of developing and maintaining a secure website. Once printed in a newspaper, a government notice cannot be changed which is not true of information maintained on a website. Continued publication of public notices in newspapers is important to protecting transparency of information and open government.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation that allows information from medical and mental health records to be disclosed without the prisoner's consent to state agencies for purposes of planning post-incarceration services.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation. Although the Virginia ACLU supports laws that allow the use of technology to expand public access to meetings and public information, it is not clear that this legislation accomplishes those goals.

ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this legislation. Generally, the ACLU of Virginia supports all legislation that makes public records more accessible. This bill seeks to make law enforcement records more accessible except as necessary to protect an on-going investigation or information about victims or witnesses to crime.