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Many are relieved by the failure of bills that took aim at Arkansas' strong Freedom of Information Act and current law that requires public notices to be published in newspapers.
Years ago, we recall flipping through a Freedom of Information handbook for the state of California. The first few pages were tightly written and provided little wiggle room for how open meetings and public documents were to be handled. By and large, the document laid out the requirement that the public's right to know and to be present at meetings were to be maintained by all elements of government.
A bill that would allow small groups of people on public governing boards to meet privately and discuss public business was passed by the Arkansas House of Representatives on Thursday.
Ellen Kreth is the publisher of the Madison County Record. Ryan Owsley is a staff member in the office of state Attorney General Tim Griffin. In an article in Thursday's newspaper about a legislative committee meeting on proposals to change the state' Freedom of Information Act, Kreth's first name and Owsley's last name were misspelled.
A bill that would have limited uses of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) failed to pass in committee Wendesday.