Keep reading for an today’s look at #OpenGov news, events, and analysis including open data on the beach, the story of Philadelphia’s 1st Chief Data Officer, and coordination everywhere.  

National News

• Just because all the cool kids are doing it doesn’t make it legal (or cool). This is a lesson apparently never learned by politicians across the country, most famously personified by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in recent days, who coordinate with independent groups ready to spend huge sums to get them elected. (Washington Post)
• The Los Alamos National Labratory is turning to a supercomputer to crunch big data from unclassified science research projects. (Executive Gov)

International News

• St. Lucia is the first Caribbean country to embrace a new open data initiative that provides technical assistance capacity to help countries open up budget and other high priority data. (World Bank)

State and Local News

• Continuing to battle against “20th century answers to problems that require” 21st century solutions eventually drove Mark Headd, Philadelphia’s first Chief Data Officer out of city government after a year and a  half and more than 50 key datasets opened. (Technical.ly Philly)
• The Illinois General Assembly rushed a bill through in the waning days of the spring session that critics say will limit access to information about all levels of Illinois government. Backers say the bill was intended to limit people who “abuse” FOIA. (Illinois State Journal-Register)

Events Today

• Business Meeting to Consider S. 1893, to require the TSA to implement best practices and improve transparency with regard to technology acquisition, among other items. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Tues. 6/24. 2:30 pm. 253 Russell Senate Office Building.  

Events Tomorrow

• Business Meeting to Consider the Nomination of Shaun Donovan to be Director of OMB among other items. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Wed. 6/25. 10:00 am. 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy. House Committee on Education and Workforce’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education with House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. Wed. 6/25. 11:00 am. 311 Cannon House Office Building.

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