In the last few years, Sunlight has found inspiration from all over the world in the actions of different stakeholders.... View Article
Continue readingA Look at Utah’s Future in Open Data
Open data policies can come in different shapes, sizes, and strengths. The most common and idealized form aims to mandate or direct energy toward open data specifically (reflected in the recent wave of municipal referendums). Another takes the focus off of open data, and instead tucks related provisions into policies for other issue areas (a neat example is this (now tabled) Viriginia education bill, introduced in January). The open data legislation passed yesterday by Utah reflects a third form: the mandated plan. We’ve seen this model before, most recently in Montgomery County, MD. In essence, this sort of legislation directs a particular agency (or, in Utah’s case, overhauls a snoozing Transparency Advisory Board) to study and make recommendations for online, best practice data disclosure. Although it’s easy to think of these policies as a punt, this sort of reallocation of attention, time, and expertise can actually be a move to stabilize and ensure thoughtful implementation and real enforcement of an open data agenda -- so long as it’s executed well, actually moves from planning to action, and operates start to finish within the public’s eye. Utah’s Board will be one to watch, with a unique combination of state agency actors, legislators, archivists, technologists, county and municipal reps, and two members of the public. It’s a team that hints at greater ambitions for Utah’s approach to future online publication of data, one that seems to be looking, at least tentatively, outside the State House and towards Utah’s local governments. But we won’t know for sure until the board turns around its first series of recommendations, due by November 30, 2013.
Continue readingPartying for Madison
We didn’t just have a typical DC happy hour this past Monday to kick off Sunshine Week, instead we had a birthday party in James Madison’s honor at the appropriately themed Cause: PhilanthroPub (where a portion of their profits goes to the charity of your choice). Transparency advocates from Sunlight, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), OpentheGovernment.org, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press and many more organizations were on hand to sing Happy Birthday to Madison, who is considered to be the Founding Father of Freedom of Information. The evening, complete with birthday cake, was a nice opportunity to unwind ahead of the week long festivities.
Stay on top of Sunshine Week events, by visiting: http://sunshineweek.rcfp.org/events/
Continue readingWanted: Your ideas
TransparencyCamp is a venue for your ideas and discussions because at an unconference, the attendees set the agenda. Although we... View Article
Continue readingSenator Tester Champions Government Transparency; Reintroduces POIA
Today, Senator Jon Tester reintroduced The Public Online Information Act (POIA) a bill that would take already public government information... View Article
Continue readingHow Congress Talks about Sunshine Week
Sunshine Week 2013 is well underway. While yesterday we looked at how well our state government made information available online,... View Article
Continue readingOFA Should Disclose Contributions and Expenditures in Real Time
Less than a week after Organizing for Action chairman and former Obama campaign strategist Jim Messina assured the public that... View Article
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 3/12/2013
NEWS ROUNDUP:
- The Center for Effective Government kicked off Sunshine Week with a report recommending steps that Federal agencies can take to become more open. Overall the report gives the Obama administration mixed reviews, with a great deal of criticism on national security issues. (Government Executive)
- Today in the continuing saga of Obama's influence group Organizing for Action: Press Secretary Jay Carney compared the supposedly non-political non-partisan OFA to the political and partisan DCCC, DSCC, and DNC, President Obama is slated to speak at a Wednesday night dinner for large donors to OFA, and other politicians have tread this controversial line in the recent past, specifically NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. (Politico, Washington Post, Roll Call)
- Illinois is hoping to spread civic innovation outside of Chicago and into the suburbs and countryside. The Illinois Technology Challenge promises $75,000 in prizes for projects that use state or city data in applications targeted outside of the Windy City. (Tech President)
- Mitch McConnell hopped on the #standwithrand fundraising train with an email comparing the two Senators, noting that they will both be likely targets of Democratic attacks, and urging donations to his reelection campaign. (Washington Post)
- Former Senator Scott Brown joined a number of former elected officials at Nixon Peabody LLP. He will serve as a counsel in its Boston office, focusing on government and business affairs. (Politico)
- Toyota's North American arm has formed a PAC, which can raise money from eligible employees. The automaker already spends more than $3 million annually on lobbying. (Public Integrity)
Announcing a New Procurement Initiative
Today we’re excited to announce an expansion of our work in the area of government procurement. Sunlight has covered procurement... View Article
Continue readingOpen States: Transparency Report Card
Today we’re making available our Transparency Report Card, a byproduct of the work we did in producing Open States. ... View Article
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