Keep reading for today’s look at #OpenGov news, events, and analysis including an editorial from former OIRA chief Cass Sunstein on the FOIA reform bill, more high-profile detentions in China’s crackdown on corruption, and plenty of state and local news.

National News

• Cass Sunstein, former head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the first Obama administration, published an op-ed arguing that the Senate FOIA reform bill co-sponsored by Sens. Leahy (D-VT) and Cornyn (R-TX) would have a chilling effect on internal debate within agencies. The bill would limit the use of the deliberative-process exemption to discussions occurring in the last twenty-five years and would institute a balancing test for claiming all such exemptions. (Bloomberg View)
• Several House members are vying for the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, currently led by the term-limited Rep. Darrell Issa. Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), a likely successor to Issa’s post, seeks to refocus the committee on government reform rather than the “pursue-the-scandal-of-the-day” that the committee has taken under Issa’s tenure. (Roll Call)
• Although the Securities and Exchange Commission has long required filing of open source versions of quarterly financial statements in addition to hard-copy documents, the open data versions have generally been of relatively low quality. The SEC, under scrutiny by members of Congress, has begun monitoring the quality of open data filings and following up on incomplete reports. (Data Transparency Coalition)

International News

• Prominent China Central Television business news anchor Rui Chenggang was detained last week by the Chinese government in a widening anti-corruption probe that has already implicated state news agency Xinhua. (Global Voices)
• India’s budget includes over US$1.5 billion in provisions in digitization and smart cities initiatives, including increasing access to digital services and a central portal for all business-facing transactions. (FutureGov)
• Contrary to claims made by agency officials at the time, the NSA and UK intelligence agency GCHQ communicated about the destruction of data from NSA contractor Edward Snowden held by UK newspaper The Guardian, according to redacted communications obtained by the Associated Press. (Ars Technica)

State and Local News

• Lawyers and law firms doing with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office have all made contributions to a charity of particular significance to the AG. Hands Together Inc. operates a school in Haiti named after the Attorney General’s late daughter and also provides meals and healthcare for its students. (Washington Times)
• Tech mogul and billionaire Sean Parker has begun making big money donations to various political action committees. A longtime Democratic donor, his giving this cycle has focused in large part on “mainstream” Republicans facing primary challenges from more ideologically driven Tea Partiers like Sens. Thad Cochran (R-MO) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). (Politico)

Events Today

• Successfully Manage Your Agency’s Information in a Continually Mandated Environment. Iron Mountain. Tues., 7/15. 2:00 PM. Webcast.

Events Tomorrow

• The State of VA Healthcare. United States Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Wed., 7/16. 10:00 AM. Room G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
• Big Data at Work for Citizens: Applying Data Analytics for Empowerment and Fraud Prevention. Software and Information Industry Association. Wed., 7/16. 12:00 PM. Room G11, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
• Publishing Content: If Not in PDF, Then What? OpenGov Hub. Wed., 7/16. 12:30 PM. 1110 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005.

Do you want to track transparency news? You can follow the progress of relevant bills, court cases, and regulations using Scout. You can also get Today in #OpenGov sent directly to your preferred news reader. If you would like suggest an event, please email mrumsey@sunlightfoundation.com by 7 am on the Monday prior to the event.