Brechner Freedom of Information Project

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…

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.  The sold-out event was coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the…

As we mark the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week (March 16-22, 2025), which was born in Florida, David Cuillier, Brechner FOI Project’s director, highlights the troubling shift in the state’s approach to government transparency in a column for The Conversation. Started as Sunshine Sunday back in 2002, Cuillier notes that…

A new bill could bring public access back to the selection process for Florida’s public university and college presidents.  According to reporting from The Daytona Beach News- Journal, Republican state Sen. Alexis Calatayud and state rep. Michelle Salzman filed identical bills, SB 1726 and HB 1321, to remove the public…

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.  Hyacinth Balediata Bangero, a researcher from Bowling Green State University, analyzed the content of Facebook posts for 25 cities in the Philippines, finding that cities…

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.  Following continued reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune, Senate Majority…

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. Sunshine Fest will honor the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week, March 16- 22, 2025,…

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. Researchers analyzed World Bank data and found that governments whose practices focus on improving efficiency, reducing corruption, and promoting transparency foster a more vibrant…

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. According to reporting from FFX Now, the measure, which aims to enhance transparency in local government decision-making, passed the Virginia Senate unanimously…

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…

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.  According to reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell is working on a proposal that could…

A recent survey of 2,500 U.S. city department heads suggests that there are varying attitudes toward public data transparency nationally.   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…