A citizen in Oconee County asked for records from the local school system, but didn’t get the answer they expected. Here’s what to do next. And, what makes a public meeting an open meeting? Click here to find out how to tell when your elected officials are complying with the Open Meetings Act. …
ATLANTA — It will now be illegal for publications such as Mugshots.com to obtain arrest booking photos in Georgia, post them on websites and charge people to have them removed — and little damage was done to the state’s public records laws in the process. Gov. Nathan Deal ratified HB 845 in his office Thursday.…
Websites that publish mug shots of all arrested individuals and then charge for removal of the images, have angered both citizens and public officials across the nation, resulting in what could be viewed as a threat to open public records. Some states have enacted legislation that would regulate the “extortion” tactics of websites such as mugshots.com,…
Principle should always matter more than precedence or practice. As a matter of principle, government attorneys should represent the governed, first and foremost. In precedent and practice, however, it appears government lawyers cater their representation to elected officials themselves. Anyone employed with public monies should work for the public. If an attorney is hired to…
Public officials who violate the state’s Open Meetings Act and who withhold public records are going to have pay — and pay dearly — because of action by the Georgia General Assembly. While lawmakers in many states have failed to enact real penalties for violations of the “Sunshine Law,” the Georgia Press Association (GPA) reported…
