A representative government is dependent on an informed electorate
Every ten years, legislative and congressional district boundaries are redrawn to account for population shifts reflected in the U.S. Census. It’s an important process, one that merits months of public deliberation and scrutiny. But that’s not what happens in Wisconsin. Our state’s redistricting process is handled almost completely out of public view by the party […]
Continue ReadingWisconsin has a long and proud history of open government. We have a strong Open Meetings Law which has served Wisconsin citizens well. That law, which requires public notice at least 24 hours before public meetings, applies to your library board, school board and city council – but it does not apply to the Wisconsin […]
Continue ReadingIt’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 ReadingWhen 14 Democratic state senators from Wisconsin fled to Illinois in February to avoid voting on Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial anti-collective bargaining bill, a constituent complained to Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen about the secret meetings the senators were having far from the Capitol, with no public notice. Van Hollen’s office told the disgruntled taxpayer […]
Continue ReadingThe key question in the ongoing legal tussle over Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill comes down to this: “Must the Legislature comply with the state’s Open Meetings Law?” At first glance, the answer might seem obvious, since the Legislature itself pledged to comply when it passed the law in 1975. Here’s the exact language: […]
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 ReadingIn 1836, with a vision for the city that would become Wisconsin’s capital, James Doty proposed that it be named after the man known as the “father of the Constitution,” who had died that year. James Madison, the fourth U.S. president, is one of the most lasting and relevant of our Founding Fathers. A signer […]
Continue ReadingSunshine Week, a national celebration of the ideal (if not always the practice) of openness in government, was launched in 2005 and is already a tradition. This year it’s set for March 13-19. In connection with this event, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is giving its fifth annual “Opee” Awards to those who’ve made […]
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 ReadingWisconsin’s open records and open meetings laws are decades old, passed long before the Internet was even a twinkle in Al Gore’s eye. While the state’s open records law explicitly includes electronic records, it falls short of providing clear guidance in every situation. And that creates problems in an age where the Internet and e-mail are […]
Continue ReadingMy first question was a softball: “Will you pledge right now to run the most open, transparent gubernatorial administration in the history of the universe?” Gov.-elect Scott Walker’s one-word reply: “Absolutely.” In fact, it’s hard to imagine that Walker will not oversee a more forthcoming executive branch than his predecessor once he’s sworn into office […]
Continue ReadingThe case of Ken Kratz, the “sexting” former Calumet County district attorney, suggests the state of Wisconsin needs to revamp its rules regarding the regulation of lawyers, especially those on the public payroll. Stephanie Van Groll, a victim of domestic violence, blew the whistle on Kratz, deserves credit for standing up to his disgusting behavior. […]
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 ReadingIt was like those legal dramas on TV. The judge, ruling from the bench, always starts out paying homage to some legal principle or perspective. Then there’s a “but” and the judge shifts gears, coming down firmly on the other side. So it was with the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s recent ruling in a case known […]
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