Brechner News

The Utah Legislature has received the Society of Professional Journalists’ Black Hole Award, a dubious honor that highlights significant violations of the public's right to know. The award was presented for two new laws, Senate Bill 277 and House Bill 69, passed in the 2025 General Session that alter how public records requests are handled in the state.  

The first Sunshine Fest March 19-20 enabled about 160 people from throughout the country – and also from Canada, Brazil and Ghana – to discuss solutions to the most pressing problems in government transparency. 

Started as Sunshine Sunday back in 2002, Cuillier notes that despite the state’s legacy as a shining example of open government, Florida's commitment to open records and public meetings is increasingly under threat.  

Federal agencies should improve the FOIA process by utilizing data tools more effectively to identify records to proactively post, according to a white paper issued Feb. 24 by the Data Working Group of the Chief FOIA Officers’ Council. 

A new bill could bring public access back to the selection process for Florida’s public university and college presidents. 

Whistle blowers are a key component for the public to learn about what the government is up to, and a recent study in Public Administration found the best way to encourage government employees to do the right thing is to focus on the waste of tax dollars for the community when failing to report. 

A bill that could impose new fees and limitations on public records requests has advanced through its first committee in the New Mexico House.  

Cities that post on Facebook basic news, without political messaging, demonstrate more online engagement with their citizens, according to a study in Government Information Quarterly. 

A Utah Senate committee narrowly approved a bill that would dismantle the citizen-led committee responsible for resolving disputes over access to government records. The proposal would replace the State Records Committee with an administrative law judge appointed by the governor. 

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, in partnership with MuckRock, has named the winners of the inaugural Sunshine Fest 2025 Logo and Slogan Contest.

A recent study published in the Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology examined how government efficiency, transparency, and accountability in Afghanistan can enhance entrepreneurship.

A proposed change to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has hit a roadblock after concerns raised by Fairfax County officials prompted state lawmakers to reconsider the bill.