Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council
A representative government is dependent on an informed electorate
It’s important to be clear about what the state Supreme Court did not do today. It did not rule that the Wisconsin Legislature obeyed the state Open Meetings Law in passing changes to collective bargaining. It did not deem the Open Meetings Law a dumb idea. Rather, it concluded, on separation of powers grounds, that […]
Continue ReadingNo matter how people feel about the changes to Wisconsin’s collective bargaining laws passed by the Legislature in March — and then voided on May 26 by Judge Maryann Sumi — Wisconsin residents should take heart in Judge Sumi’s decision. She declared the state’s Open Meetings Law means something. “This case is the exemplar of […]
Continue ReadingThis is to alert you to a provision in a motion adopted on May 24 by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. The motion, at Point 6, would “amend current law to specify that statements of economic interest and any information contained therein may only be available for public inspection and copying at the office of […]
Continue ReadingBy Bill Lueders, WisFOIC President I’d like to thank you all for coming. I should confess that I had very little to do with putting together this event. Primary credit for that goes to the Wisconsin Center for Investigative journalism, and especially Andy Hall. This was his idea, and I wisely insisted that he do […]
Continue ReadingFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE3/15/2011 CONTACT: Andy Hall, 608-262-3642, ahall@wisconsinwatch.orgBill Lueders, 608-251-5627, blueders@isthmus.com Dave Zweifel, editor emeritus of The Capital Times, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Wisconsin Watchdog Award in recognition of his decades-long efforts to increase public access to information about government. Zweifel will receive the award April 20 at the first […]
Continue ReadingWISCONSIN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COUNCIL101 KING ST. MADISON WI 53703 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Bill Lueders (608) 251-5627 May 26, 2011 Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council statement on Judge Maryann Sumi’s ruling The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council appreciates the thoughtful analysis that instructed Dane County Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi’s ruling striking down the collective […]
Continue ReadingWISCONSIN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COUNCIL 101 KING ST. MADISON WI 53703 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bill Lueders (608) 251-5627 March 10, 2011 State Freedom of Information Council bestows annual “Opee” Awards The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, as part of national Sunshine Week (sunshineweek.org), March 13-19, is bestowing its fifth annual round of awards in […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin Freedom of Information Council weighs in on open meeting controversy On Thursday, March 10, at 10:50 a.m., Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council President Bill Lueders issued the following statement: I have been asked whether the Wisconsin FOIC has a position on last night’s action by the state Legislature. As you know, I am not a […]
Continue ReadingA state website operating since 2007 is supposed to be informing citizens how state government spends some of their taxpayer dollars by disclosing information on state contracts worth $10,000 or more. But that is not happening. And for a state that strives to be a leader in government transparency, this is not a pretty story. […]
Continue ReadingComplaints about secrecy in government tend to come after important information has been withheld. Wouldn’t it make more sense to clear the path to open government early on – before an official is elected? With fall elections approaching, it is a good time to ask candidates what they would reveal – or not reveal – […]
Continue ReadingSEC, as it turns out, is not an acronym for Securities and Exchange Commission, it’s an abbreviation for SECRECY. That’s the only conclusion we can draw after reading that the agency believes it no longer has to comply with the Freedom of Information Act under the new Wall Street reform signed into law last […]
Continue ReadingThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information CouncilMinutes of Oct. 15, 2009 meeting The meeting was called to order at 1:35 p.m. Present were Bill Lueders, Christa Westerberg, Bob Dreps, Michael Buelow, Gordon Govier, Andy Hall, Tom Koetting, Doug Wojcik, Bob Welch, Dave Zweifel, Bob Dreschel, Roger Schneider, Jim Winter, Peter Fox, Mark Pitsch, Steve Lovejoy and […]
Continue ReadingThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Minutes of Jan. 14, 2010 meeting 1. The meeting was called to order and introductions made at 1:34 p.m. Members present were Anita Weier, Michael Buelow, Diane Martin Liebert, Henry Koshollek, Bob Dreps, Tom Bier, Dave Zweifel, Steve Lovejoy, Christa Westerberg, Bill Lueders, Michelle Vetterkind, Bob Dreschel, Bob Welch, […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill to bar public access to recordings of 911 emergency calls. These audio recordings would be replaced with transcripts. As a broadcast news professional, I understand that 911 calls may be painful for families of victims. That’s why a lot of thought already goes into deciding whether and how […]
Continue ReadingGuest column for Sunshine week by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen March 14-20 is Sunshine Week. It is important to recognize this national initiative which focuses attention on the importance of open government and the public’s right to know. Citizen oversight of the workings of government is essential to democratic government and our confidence in […]
Continue ReadingLast fall, area police and a Walworth County’s SWAT team executed a no-knock search at a residence in Delavan. It was a full-scale exercise of police power involving heavy weaponry and equipment. But details of the search were kept secret for a full month. Law enforcement officials, prosecutors and court clerks refused to comment on […]
Continue ReadingIt’s a simple premise; if the state is going to tax you to pay for something, you should at least be able to find out how those dollars are spent. Thanks to the Internet, achieving this is easier than ever. And in a traditional home of open government like Wisconsin, one would think transparency […]
Continue ReadingThe state of Wisconsin has a long tradition of open and transparent government. This is a reflection of our Wisconsin values, which place great importance on the individual citizen’s involvement in government. The state also has a strong tradition of athletics. Whether it is the Packers, the Badgers, or the local high school football […]
Continue ReadingThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information CouncilMinutes of July 16, 2009 meeting1) Call to orderThe Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council was called to order on Tuesday, July 16, 2009 at 1:31 p.m. Present were Bill Lueders, Diane Martin, Dee Hall, Michael Buelow, Dave Zweifel, Mary Callen, Anita Weier, Gordon Govier, Christa Westerberg, Michelle Vetterkind, Tom Bier, […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin Freedom of Information Council Minutes of April 21, 2009, meeting The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council was called to order on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at 1:30 PM. Present were Bill Lueders, Christa Westerberg, Dee Hall, Bob Drechsel, Bob Dreps, Peter Fox, Dave Zwiefel, Roger Schneider, Thomas Koetting, Anita Weier, Hank Koshollek, Ann Frisch, […]
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