Florida public records closings on rise

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sun, Mar. 14, 2004

LEGISLATURE 2004
Florida public records closings on rise

BY LESLEY CLARK

[e-mail]


Florida lawmakers embraced a measure two years ago to make it harder to seal public records, but advocates for open government charge it hasn't dampened a legislative zeal for restricting access.

In the current legislative session, lawmakers propose a number of bills to seal off information, including lists of gun owners, billing records for some government-issued cellphones and oversight of the Florida Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
(snip)

The findings? Not so well. Though nearly 60 percent of the surveyed agencies complied, others put up obstacles, including requiring those seeking information to identify themselves -- a violation of the state's open records law, which permits anyone to request public information without saying why or providing identification.
(snip)

And Broward County Administrator Roger Desjarlais threatened a volunteer asking for public records, saying, ''I can make your life very difficult,'' according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, which launched the investigation along with 29 other Florida newspapers.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/8181087.htm

[schultzee]

1. Florida always doing its best for Fascism.

[Mika]

2. Scripps money is what its about

Those concerns mirror worries about a bill legislators hurriedly passed in October to protect scientific discoveries at the Scripps Research Institute's new Palm Beach County campus. Public records advocates charge that the bill goes beyond what Scripps needs and opens a vast new hole in public records laws for economic development.

SPECIAL EXEMPTION

The research institute and its funding organization, which oversees a $310 million state taxpayer contribution to Scripps, was granted a special exemption from state Sunshine laws during a special legislative session last fall.

Sen. Ron Klein of Delray Beach, the Senate Democratic leader, said he would like to tighten the records exemptions, but Senate President Jim King and House Speaker Johnnie Byrd have told legislators they have no interest.

The Scripps law requires that any agreement between the state and the funding corporation be a public record, but it excludes any information about the transfer of money from the funding corporation to the research institute.

Can you spell slush funds for "special" ops for Jeb?

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. This is the way Republicans-CEO Managers operate.

In the dark, where no one can question their decisions and there is no way to pin point who is responsible in order to demand accountability when something goes wrong.

Make no mistake. It's the way the good ole boy network has been able to survive for so long.

[jburton]

4. Business as usual

nt