While many local governments offer public records, disclosure is inconsistent and not standardized. California Common Sense encountered this problem — and devised an interesting solution.
Continue readingOhio boosts local financial transparency with online checkbook
Ohio is leading the way on financial transparency with its new online checkbook, allowing anyone to easily access local spending data.
Continue readingNew bill promises an open records upgrade in Massachusetts
In many states, “right to know” laws haven’t been updated in decades. But that may change soon in Massachusetts, where new legislation promises a transparency upgrade.
Continue readingDetroit embraces transparency with new open data portal
Detroit’s new open data policy and portal show that things are definitely looking up for the Motor City: The government now promises to help its communities through providing open and accessible city data.
Continue readingHow accessible are executive orders in each of the 50 states?
We analyzed how accessible governors' executive orders are in all 50 States. Here's how they stack up.
Continue readingWhen will Open Legislative Data come to your town?
Apps for when the next bus will come are great, but what about the next law?
Continue readingComplete Local Legislative Data
When we talk about providing a transparent and legible legislative process, the first step is identifying all the moving parts that contribute to the passing of law. In Washington, D.C., this means not just following the city council, but also following D.C.’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, or ANCs, the hyperlocal government entities that advise the city council on community issues. Although the District’s city government structure is uniquely granular, it serves as an excellent model for understanding what a complete legislative data framework should consist of.
Continue readingStates Lead on E-Filing, Will the Senate Catch Up?
It seems our Senators have a thing or two learn from their home states when it comes to campaign finance reporting: 31 states currently require mandatory electronic reporting ("e-filing") of their elected representative's campaign finance records -- a leap above our Senate, which has failed to pass no-brainer e-filing legislation for over a decade. Sunlight conducted a review of the current state of similar filings in the states (see chart below), and the results are pretty surprising -- in a great way. State governments across the country -- 92% of them, in fact -- require at least optional, if not mandatory electronic filing for both houses of their bicameral legislatures.
Continue readingThe Legislation Will Not Be Televised
This map distinguishes five levels of legislative web and broadcasting comprehension on a sliding scale from “Best” (including all recommended elements: video formatting of floor proceedings and committee hearings, archived, and broadcasted via a variety of mediums) to “Worst” (missing several of these recommended elements). For more info (or to watch!) see the NCSL's original roundup here.
Open legislative data is integral to a functioning legible participatory democracy. The legislative data canopy covers everything from information about who represents you to the nuts and bolts of the legislative process to final letter of the law, with each element carrying its own series of challenges and considerations when it comes to public access. Timely and archived legislative process data (i.e. bills, amendments, committee meetings, votes, and contextual information, such as: research reports, legislative journals and lobbying information) are crucial to supporting citizen participation and informed voting. Video documentation of the legislative process represents the barebones of open and accountable legislative process data -- passive recordings of events as they happen for prosperity and public inclusion -- and yet this information is still not comprehensively available in most U.S. states.
Continue readingDIY TransparencyCamp
At the end of TransparencyCamp 2012, a bunch of us shared goals and projects that we would commit to do... View Article
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