Brechner News

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.

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) has awarded the 2025 Brechner Freedom of Information Award to St. Louis Public Radio, APM Reports and The Marshall Project for their collaborative investigative project, “Unsolved.”

A recent study in Indonesia highlights frustrations like those reported by public records requesters in the United States.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Student Freedom of Information Award, presented by the Student Press Law Center and sponsored by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida. The award honors students or student teams whose investigative reporting has promoted transparency and highlighted important issues in their school or community in the previous year.  

After more than three decades of resolving disputes over public access to records, the Utah Legislature may soon consider a bill that would dismantle the State Records Committee. 

Published in the latest issue of the Government Information Quarterly, the survey, led by Mary Feeney of Arizona State University, found that city department heads were generally in favor of releasing public records such as restaurant inspection reports and real estate transactions.