NEWS ROUNDUP

State/Local

• Lobbyists now need to register when dealing with Florida school board: Those who lobby to the school board of Orange County, Florida, are now required to fill out a separate registration form. (Lobby Comply Blog)
• Campaign finance reform signed in Rhode Island: A new Rhode Island disclosure law requires all political groups in Rhode Island who spend over $1000 on a candidate or policy issue to disclose their expenditures and donors 60 days before an election or 30 days before a primary. (Republic Report)

Open Data

• Opinion: Open data unnecessary in Yemen: Responding to an article highlighting the importance of open data to improving Yemen, Global Integrity believes that the problems facing Yemen (namely its poverty) unfortunately cause the benefits of open data to be outweighed by the costs. (Global Integrity)
• Five things the public learned because of FOIA: In a celebration of the Freedom of Information Act’s 46th birthday, five things that would have been unknown to the public without the act (which include torture at detention centers and insider trading at the SEC) have been listed and turned into an infographic. (Project on Government Oversight)

Campaign Finance

• Rule requiring online political ad information to go into effect: Despite pushback from the National Association of Broadcasters, an FCC ruling that requires disclosure of political ad buyers will begin to be enforced on August 2. (National Journal)
• NAB asks FCC to delay impending rule change: After failing to nullify an FCC requirement that forces television stations to post information about political ad buyers online, the National Association of Broadcasters have requested that the rule’s starting data be pushed back until the lawsuit the association has filed fighting this rule has reached a verdict. (The Hill)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED

• S.3321: Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2012. “No information contained in the National Responsible Father Registry shall be disclosed to any person if the disclosure of the information would contravene a national security interest of the United States or if the disclosure would compromise the confidentiality of census data.” Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• H.R.6041: Obtaining Information Through Leasing on (OIL) Money and Disclosure Act. “To provide that the Secretary of the Interior shall require the disclosure of political contributions as a condition of accepting bids for oil and gas leases of Federal onshore and offshore lands.” Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

HAPPENING TODAY 7/5

• None.

SCHEDULED TOMORROW

• None.

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