NEWS ROUNDUP:

State/Local

• L.A. City Council ends live feeds of some meetings: Citing budgetary concerns, the Los Angeles City Council stopped its live documentation of its meetings in Van Nuys and San Pedro. (Government Technology)
• Lame-duck politicians who raise campaign money under fire in MI: Despite term limits that ban them from running for office in 2012, twenty-two lame-duck lawmakers in Michigan have raised a combined $568,000 in 42 different fundraisers last year. (Crain’s Detroit Business)
• Lobbying disclosure bill reaches the governor: Delaware legislature has passed Senate Bill 185, a bill that would increase disclosure requirements so that, among other things, lobbyists would have to report all direct communication with any legislator. (Lobby Comply Blog)
• Citizens United-influenced decision in Virginia overturned: In a departure from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to nullify a Montana law banning corporate contributions in elections, a federal appeals court has overturned a previous ruling that nullified the Virginia’s own ban. (CBS News)

Open Data

• FOIA.gov creator releases site improvements: Modified search features and Spanish-language availability are among the improvements made to FOIA.gov by its creator. (Government Executive)
• More information on UK’s new data site and transparency policy: The recently relaunched data.gov.uk, along with a new policy on open data in the United Kingdom, has been the subject of a number of interviews that seek to clarify its purpose and unearth its influences. (O’Reilly Radar)

Super PACs/Political Nonprofits

• ALEC challenged by tax attorney over nonprofit status: The former chief of the nonprofit division of the IRS is representing a group of progressive ministers in their complaint against the American Legislative Exchange Council’s use of the benefits given to a nonprofit-designated group. The complaint focuses on the council’s focus on improving private benefit over public benefit, the latter being the intended focus of nonprofits. (iWatch News)
• Quick-hitting super PACs don’t need to disclose donors: Due to a loophole that keeps donors’ identities secret until after a primary, many super PACs have spent huge amounts of outside money without releasing any information about their fundraisers. (OpenSecrets Blog)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

• None.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK 7/2 – 7/6:

Hearings:

• None.

Events:

• None.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

• None.

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