2Day in #OpenGov 5/10/2012
NEWS ROUNDUP
Government
- Senate enhances whistleblower protections: The Senate passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2011 with unanimous consent on Tuesday. It now moves to the House, where Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has been supportive of similar legislation in the past. (POGO)
- Lobby to succeed in business? The top ten companies on this years Fortune 500 list have already spent more than $22 million lobbying the government this year. General Electric, number 6 on the list, has spent almost $6 million, easily outstripping the rest of its cohort. (Republic Report)
State and Local
- Open Oakland data: The Oakland, CA City Council voted to enact an open data policy. The goal is to create an open data portal, encourage local developers, and help city government make data-driven decisions. (Code for America)
- Connecticut campaign disclosure: The Connecticut legislature passed a bill to strengthen the state’s campaign finance disclosure rules and require corporate board authorization for political expenditures. It is facing a veto threat from Governor Dannel Malloy. (Lobby Comply)
International
- Indian information anniversary: May 12 marks the seventh anniversary of India’s Right to Information Act. A new study highlights some of the shortfalls in the act’s implementation. (Human Rights Initiative)
- Netherlands net neutrality: The Netherlands became the first European country to pass a net neutrality bill. The bill prohibits data throttling and contains anti-wiretapping provisions. (Yahoo/BGR)
- Brazil openly opens data: The final version of the Brazilian Open Data Portal launched last week. The portal was created using an open process with only free and open source tools. (Open Knowledge Foundation Blog)
RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED
- None.
HAPPENING TODAY 5/10
- Asbestos Claim Transparency. House Judiciary. 9:30 am. 2141 RHOB. Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee.
- Addressing Inspector General Vacancies. House Oversight and Government Reform. Thurs. 9:30 am. 2154 RHOB. Full Committee Hearing.
- Global Internet Freedom: A Foreign Policy Imperative in a Digital Age. CNAS. Thurs. 9:30 – 11:00 am. Capitol Visitor Center, East Capitol and 1st Street NE, Washington, DC 20004.
SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW 5/10
- None.
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.
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