Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council
A representative government is dependent on an informed electorate
Officers / Executive Board Council Members The bylaws call for 11 representatives of member organizations: three representatives from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, three from the Wisconsin Associated Press, three from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association/Broadcast News Council, and two from the Society of Professional Journalists.. The bylaws also allow for up to 12 public members. The […]
Continue ReadingA few weeks ago, Wisconsin State Journal reporter Chris Rickert was using his cell phone to scan records in the office of the Dane County Clerk of Circuit Court, when an office staffer informed him that this was not allowed. Rickert complied, but followed up with an email to the office’s clerk of courts, Jeff […]
Continue ReadingThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council’s Opee Awards, now in their 20th consecutive year, recognize outstanding efforts to protect Wisconsin’s tradition of open government, as well as highlight some threats to it. We held our event on March 19, 2026 at Rigby’s in Madison, WI, during national Sunshine Week, March 15-21. Awards are being given […]
Continue ReadingFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bill Lueders (608) 669-4712 blueders@gmail.com March 9, 2026 Two attempts to peel back the veil of secrecy over the proliferation of data centers are being honored in this year’s Openness in Government Awards, or Opees, bestowed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council. The awards also recognize a district attorney who […]
Continue ReadingThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information is hosting a free Madison-based event on Thursday, March 19, as part of national Sunshine Week, March 16-20. Please join us to celebrate Wisconsin’s tradition of open government, mingle with other transparency advocates, and witness the awarding of the annual Opee (Openness in Government) awards and year-in-review. The event will […]
Continue ReadingDear Council members and supporters: The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that works to protect access to public meetings and records, is now accepting nominations for its annual Openness in Government Awards, or Opees. Awards are given in six categories: Popee – (public openness award): Recognizes extraordinary service to the cause […]
Continue ReadingFor the 19th consecutive year, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is bestowing its annual Openness in Government Awards, or Opees, meant to recognize outstanding efforts to protect the state’s tradition of open government, as well as highlight impediments. The awards are being announced in advance of national Sunshine Week (sunshineweek.org), March 16-22 and will […]
Continue ReadingAs identified by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, September 2024 1. Long waits. The Open Records Law states that requested records must be provided “as soon as practicable and without delay.” It adds that providing access to information “is declared to be … an integral part of the routine duties of [public] officers and […]
Continue ReadingOpen Meetings Law Listed below is the complete text of the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law, Wis. Stat. §§ 19.81-19.98, as of July 2024. Click here for a more detailed and annotated version of the statutes. Annotations are useful references to case law and opinions of the Attorney General that can help explain a passage. […]
Continue ReadingOpen Records Law Listed below is the complete text of the Wisconsin Open Records Law, Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31-19.39, as of July 2024. Click here for a more detailed and annotated version of the statutes. Annotations are useful references to case law and opinions of the Attorney General that can help explain a passage. […]
Continue ReadingThe bill moved with lightning speed. It was introduced last December, passed the state Senate in January and the Assembly in February, and was signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers in March. 2023 Wisconsin Act 253 allows police and corrections officials to charge some requesters of video and audio recordings for the cost of […]
Continue ReadingLaw enforcement officers in Winnebago County shot three people in 2023, one fatally. And while we know the names of the people shot, the identities of those who pulled the trigger remain secret. The fatal shooting, on Aug. 2, was of an armed 37-year-old man at a Neenah gas station by an Outagamie County sheriff’s […]
Continue ReadingPossible changes in law or policy to increase transparency, as identified by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Updated November 2023 Add statutory time limits for responding to records requests Under the state’s Open Records Law, state and local officials are required to respond to records requests “as soon as practicable and without delay.” This […]
Continue ReadingA unanimous voice vote by the Wisconsin Senate on a piece of legislation is a rare occurrence. But that’s what happened on April 19, when state senators approved a bill to undo a decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court regarding public records. Senate Bill 117, sponsored by Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Rep. Todd Novak […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin’s open records law is most often used by requesters seeking to obtain records from a government agency. But occasionally it works in reverse, allowing someone to block the release of records to a requester. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has recently affirmed important limits on such efforts. Ironically, it was the court that created the […]
Continue ReadingFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bill Lueders (608) 669-4712 blueders@gmail.com March 10, 2022 Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council names ‘Opee’ winners A citizen concerned about plans to develop a city park, an alderperson who felt his colleagues broke the law and a district attorney who filed charges against a town for open records violations are among […]
Continue ReadingFor the sixteenth consecutive year, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is presenting its Openness Awards, or Opees, to recognize outstanding efforts to protect the state’s tradition of open government, as well as some of the threats to it. The awards, part of the observance of national Sunshine Week (sunshineweek.org), March 13-19, are given in […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin statutes grant responsibility to the Attorney General to provide citizens with advice regarding the state’s open meetings and public records laws. The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of Open Government maintains an extensive listing of the advisories and opinions it has issued regarding the state’s open records and open meetings laws. To see this […]
Continue ReadingEvery time an elected official sends an email, it becomes a public record. When an employee at a government agency makes a purchase, that transaction is the public’s business. Whenever a permit or license is issued by a government authority, this is information you should be able to obtain. These records, which include everything from […]
Continue ReadingThere were more heroes than villains in this year’s Openness Awards, or Opees, bestowed annually by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council. In fact, in two categories, there was more than one winner. Both a former state employee who rebuffed a committee’s efforts to embrace secrecy and an attorney who launched a law firm devoted […]
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