National Freedom of Information Coalition
@nfoic.bsky.social
Promoting open government through access to government records and meetings. We support state open-government coalitions across the country. You should, too!
Pinned
NFOIC has created a starter pack of our member coalitions and organizations:
go.bsky.app/Q51WRzc
go.bsky.app/Q51WRzc
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
What's a #FOIA Appeal? What's some good language to use when you want to argue with the government about why they should be giving you the file you asked for, instead of some "genealogy letter"?
We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
Reclaim The Records
We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...
mailchi.mp
October 21, 2025 at 3:19 AM
What's a #FOIA Appeal? What's some good language to use when you want to argue with the government about why they should be giving you the file you asked for, instead of some "genealogy letter"?
We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
#foioklahoma By Murray Evans, oklahoman.com: Andrews wrote that “it is in the public interest to determine whether the board violated the Open Meeting Act …
Judge rules lawsuit over Ryan Walters' alleged violations of Open Meeting Act can continue
Part of a lawsuit filed by a private school against the Oklahoma State Board of Education and then-state Superintendent Ryan Walters can continue.
www.oklahoman.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:08 AM
#foioklahoma By Murray Evans, oklahoman.com: Andrews wrote that “it is in the public interest to determine whether the board violated the Open Meeting Act …
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
A new initiative brings together the resources of transparency organizations and connects journalists with the country’s foremost records experts and strategies that can help them overcome challenges. www.muckrock.com/news/archive...
MuckRock, NFOIC and other leading transparency groups receive $1.25M Press Forward grant to help local journalists obtain government records
Journalism relies on public records, but transparency laws are weakening nationwide, with longer response times, high fees and more frequent rejections. Agencies know that few newsrooms can research…
www.muckrock.com
August 4, 2025 at 9:38 PM
A new initiative brings together the resources of transparency organizations and connects journalists with the country’s foremost records experts and strategies that can help them overcome challenges. www.muckrock.com/news/archive...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
Learn more about your right to access court records in each state and federal circuit using @rcfp.org’s Open Courts Compendium.
Open Courts Compendium | The Reporters Committee
The Open Courts Compendium is a guide to court access issues for journalists, with specific information for each state and federal circuit.
www.rcfp.org
August 4, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Learn more about your right to access court records in each state and federal circuit using @rcfp.org’s Open Courts Compendium.
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
If courts don't have to power to enforce the Public Records Act beyond which records can be disclosed, "then the Public Records Act is meaningless" says @davidloy.bsky.social to @sandiegouniontribune.com www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/08/04/r...
School officials withheld messages from the public, highlighting transparency law’s limits
The failure of Grossmont officials to provide these records underscores some of the limits of California’s public record law — and raises issues now being litigated before the state’s top cou…
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
August 5, 2025 at 12:29 AM
If courts don't have to power to enforce the Public Records Act beyond which records can be disclosed, "then the Public Records Act is meaningless" says @davidloy.bsky.social to @sandiegouniontribune.com www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/08/04/r...
"State contracts for Florida's controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention camp were removed from a public database and replaced with far less detailed documents"
reason.com/2025/07/22/a...
reason.com/2025/07/22/a...
'Alligator Alcatraz' contracts disappeared from a Florida state database
A state official says the contracts contained "proprietary information," so they were scrubbed and replaced with bare-bones summaries.
reason.com
July 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM
"State contracts for Florida's controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention camp were removed from a public database and replaced with far less detailed documents"
reason.com/2025/07/22/a...
reason.com/2025/07/22/a...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
Thrilled that NFOIC is part of this Press Forward grant! “Our plan with this project is to put the extensive knowledge and expertise of the state freedom-of-information organizations into every newsroom."
MuckRock, NFOIC and other leading transparency groups receive $1.25M Press Forward grant to help local journalists obtain government records
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
July 16, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Thrilled that NFOIC is part of this Press Forward grant! “Our plan with this project is to put the extensive knowledge and expertise of the state freedom-of-information organizations into every newsroom."
MuckRock, NFOIC and other leading transparency groups receive $1.25M Press Forward grant to help local journalists obtain government records
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
July 16, 2025 at 2:18 PM
MuckRock, NFOIC and other leading transparency groups receive $1.25M Press Forward grant to help local journalists obtain government records
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
mailchi.mp/c2b255eb7b84...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
In a friend-of-the-court brief, @rcfp.org is urging the Oklahoma Supreme Court to allow the release of surveillance footage surrounding an inmate's death inside a county jail.
RCFP urges Oklahoma Supreme Court to allow release of jail surveillance footage
Without reliable information about what the government is doing, or failing to do, the public is unable to conduct oversight and ensure accountability.
www.rcfp.org
July 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
In a friend-of-the-court brief, @rcfp.org is urging the Oklahoma Supreme Court to allow the release of surveillance footage surrounding an inmate's death inside a county jail.
It's not you. It's us.
The NFOIC website is down and we're working on finding a fix. Thanks for bearing with us.
The NFOIC website is down and we're working on finding a fix. Thanks for bearing with us.
a woman is making a funny face in front of a brick wall
ALT: a woman is making a funny face in front of a brick wall
media.tenor.com
July 11, 2025 at 6:17 PM
It's not you. It's us.
The NFOIC website is down and we're working on finding a fix. Thanks for bearing with us.
The NFOIC website is down and we're working on finding a fix. Thanks for bearing with us.
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
"The proposal says the district would have to provide the school board with a list of lawsuits DPS is involved in and a tally of how much it spends on external legal costs."
Proposed school board policy aims to shed light on Denver Public Schools’ legal expenses
The proposal would also clarify when and how the school board should hire outside lawyers.
www.chalkbeat.org
June 23, 2025 at 10:26 PM
"The proposal says the district would have to provide the school board with a list of lawsuits DPS is involved in and a tally of how much it spends on external legal costs."
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
"Sorry if it sucks to listen to people you don’t like or agree with, city council members, but that’s what being a public official, and especially an elected official is all about."
PERRY — To Aurora lawmakers and protestors: If you can't beat 'em, stop trying - Sentinel Colorado
'The public and the city workers are dragged through this bi-weekly War of the Poses and really do struggle to keep up with the usual business of a very, very busy city government'
sentinelcolorado.com
June 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
"Sorry if it sucks to listen to people you don’t like or agree with, city council members, but that’s what being a public official, and especially an elected official is all about."
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
After decades when few law enforcement officers in Virginia lost the right to serve in sworn positions, recent reforms have brought dramatic increases in decertifications. www.muckrock.com/news/archive...
As Virginia police reforms take hold, decertifications jump
After decades when few law enforcement officers in Virginia lost the right to serve in sworn positions, recent reforms have brought dramatic increases in decertifications
www.muckrock.com
June 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
After decades when few law enforcement officers in Virginia lost the right to serve in sworn positions, recent reforms have brought dramatic increases in decertifications. www.muckrock.com/news/archive...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
The Air Force may have been caught off guard or was just unprepared when President Donald Trump said the next generation fighter jet would be called F-47, documents obtained via FOIA suggest.
How the Air Force Designated Its Next Fighter Jet ‘F-47’
The Air Force may have been caught off guard or was just unprepared when President Donald Trump said the next generation fighter jet would be called F-47, documents obtained by FOIA Files suggest.
bloom.bg
June 20, 2025 at 3:15 PM
The Air Force may have been caught off guard or was just unprepared when President Donald Trump said the next generation fighter jet would be called F-47, documents obtained via FOIA suggest.
“If you get a public record in reporting, get an image of that, splash it out there; show the readers under the hood what you’re looking at.”
nationalpress.org/topic/public...
nationalpress.org/topic/public...
'Public Records Are Sexy': Washington Post FOIA Director's Strategy for Document Requests - National Press Foundation
The Washington Post FOIA director Nate Jones says journalists can use public records to fight misinformation and deepfakes.
nationalpress.org
June 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
“If you get a public record in reporting, get an image of that, splash it out there; show the readers under the hood what you’re looking at.”
nationalpress.org/topic/public...
nationalpress.org/topic/public...
How a $9.8 million contract in 2016 ballooned into a $98.3 million one today.“Progress and accomplishments have been minimal; excuses and delays have been plentiful,” the three officials wrote in correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...
www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...
Costs triple, delays mount in vital tech contracts
This investigation was reported in collaboration with the Chicago Tribune. In a flurry of contracts inked a decade ago, some of Illinois’ most powerful
www.injusticewatch.org
June 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
How a $9.8 million contract in 2016 ballooned into a $98.3 million one today.“Progress and accomplishments have been minimal; excuses and delays have been plentiful,” the three officials wrote in correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...
www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
VCOG All Access News, 6/9/25: FOIA logs are working papers? comment warnings; DOGE & FOIA & SSA
opengovva.org/transparency...
opengovva.org/transparency...
Transparency News, 6/9/25 – Virginia Coalition for Open Government
opengovva.org
June 9, 2025 at 12:33 PM
VCOG All Access News, 6/9/25: FOIA logs are working papers? comment warnings; DOGE & FOIA & SSA
opengovva.org/transparency...
opengovva.org/transparency...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
🚨 A Connecticut city violated the state’s open record law by requiring written requests for public records. insideinvestigator.org/ansonia-viol...
#FOIA
#FOIA
Ansonia violated FOIA with written request policy
Read More at Inside Investigator >>
insideinvestigator.org
June 9, 2025 at 2:28 PM
🚨 A Connecticut city violated the state’s open record law by requiring written requests for public records. insideinvestigator.org/ansonia-viol...
#FOIA
#FOIA
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
A judge Monday ordered Aurora to release all unedited body-worn camera footage of police shooting and killing Kilyn Lewis, finding that the city denied 9NEWS’ requests for the video in violation of Colorado’s Law Enforcement Integrity Act.
Judge: Aurora PD must release all unedited body-cam footage of May 2024 shooting of Kilyn Lewis - Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition
A judge ordered Aurora to release all unedited body-worn camera footage of police shooting and killing Kilyn Lewis, finding that the city denied 9NEWS’ requests for the video in violation of Colorado'...
coloradofoic.org
June 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM
A judge Monday ordered Aurora to release all unedited body-worn camera footage of police shooting and killing Kilyn Lewis, finding that the city denied 9NEWS’ requests for the video in violation of Colorado’s Law Enforcement Integrity Act.
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
Access to Police Records . . . "The public has the right to know" . . . Rhode Island APRA Reform . . . Trump Administration and Higher Education . . . Local Flag Ordinances . . . and more. conta.cc/3FJxMrc #FirstAmendment #opengov
June 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Access to Police Records . . . "The public has the right to know" . . . Rhode Island APRA Reform . . . Trump Administration and Higher Education . . . Local Flag Ordinances . . . and more. conta.cc/3FJxMrc #FirstAmendment #opengov
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Today we honored the late Ramsey County District Court Judge Patrick Diamond with the John Finnegan Freedom of Information Award. His 2024 ruling in a public records case set a valuable legal precedent that contributes to open government in Minnesota. mncogi.org/2025-freedom...
March 11, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Today we honored the late Ramsey County District Court Judge Patrick Diamond with the John Finnegan Freedom of Information Award. His 2024 ruling in a public records case set a valuable legal precedent that contributes to open government in Minnesota. mncogi.org/2025-freedom...
Reposted by National Freedom of Information Coalition
R.I. Senate Looks to Publish Written Testimony Online, Four Years After the House | Rhode Island Current
R.I. Senate looks to publish written testimony online, four years after the House • Rhode Island Current
Rhode Island Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight will hold an hearing Monday on a proposal to put written public testimony on the General Assembly website.
buff.ly
March 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM
R.I. Senate Looks to Publish Written Testimony Online, Four Years After the House | Rhode Island Current