Posts Tagged ‘rti amendments’
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29 November 2013
Irish FOI bill concerns must be tackled
By Maeve McDonagh McDonagh is Professor of Law at UCC. She is also the author of Freedom of Information Law 2nd ed This article was originally published Nov. 25 in the Irish Examiner. The Freedom of Information Bill 2013 currently at committee stage in the Oireachtas is to be welcomed in terms of its reversal […]
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27 November 2013
Philippines House Panel Sets Deadline for Action
A committee of the House of Representatives in the Philippines Nov. 26 voted 10-5 to have a consolidated measure done by Feb. 14. The House committee on public information approved the motion by Representative Emmeline Aglipay mandating a previously technical working group led by committee chairman Jorge Almonte to consolidate all 19 versions by February. The working […]
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27 November 2013
Mexican House Passes FOI Law Modifications
The Mexican House of Representatives by a vote of 424-16 Nov. 26 endorsed legislation recently approved by the Senate to amend the freedom of information law. Among other things, the legislation provides full autonomy to the Federal Institute for Access to Information and Protection of Data (IFAI) , the regulatory and implementation authority. The members […]
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22 November 2013
Mexican Senate Approves Reforms to Access Regime
By Jesse Franzblau On Nov. 20, Mexico’s senate passed new reforms to the country’s transparency system, approving modifications and establishing greater autonomy for the country’s information oversight body – the Federal Institute for Access to Information and Protection of Data (IFAI). After a process that lasted more than a year and involved significant amendments, revisions, […]
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15 November 2013
Irish Minister Changes Course on FOI Request Fees
Irish Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has partially retracted his controversial proposal to raise fees for freedom of information requests. Although portrayed as a “U-turn” in the Irish press, it remains to be seen how far Howlin has moved. Howlin had proposed to charge €15 for each “separate and distinct” query contained in a single FOI […]
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13 November 2013
Regressive Slovak Proposal Pulled Back After Protests
The Slovak Economy Ministry proposed to block access to public contracts that were closed before 2011, but dropped the idea in the face of strong objections, according to a Nov. 11 article by Michaela Terenzani-Stanková in the Slovak Spectator. The effort to amend the 2000 freedom of information law caused protests from pro-transparency non-governmental organizations, […]
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13 November 2013
South African Assembly Passes Secrecy Bill
The South African National Assembly Nov. 12 adopted a revised Protection of State Information Bill. The controversial bill was passed on a vote of 225 to 88. It will now go back to President Jacob Zuma for his signature. In September, Zuma referred the bill back to the assembly, citing two sections of the bill […]
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12 November 2013
Killing Freedom of Information in Ireland
By Gavin Sheridan The article appeared on The Story blog, where comments are accruing. We’ve had sight of new amendments to the FOI Bill 2013 proposed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. We will be blunt: if passed, Freedom of Information is dead. TheStory.ie will, in all likelihood, cease all FOI requests. And […]
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25 October 2013
Japan Moving to Pass National Security Bill
The Japanese Cabinet has approved a controversial bill to protect state secrets. The current developments are described in a Reuters article by Linda Sieg and Kiyoshi Takenaka and in Japan Times by Ayako Mie. The bill is expected to pass later this year. A broad perspective is provided an analysis article by Lawrence Repeta, who teaches law at […]
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11 October 2013
Canadian Commissioners Issue Call for Reform
Canada’s national information and privacy commissioners and the provincial commissioners on Oct. 9 issued an unusual joint resolution saying “Canada must re-establish its position as a leader in both the access and privacy fields” and offering 18 specific suggestions. Only a few Canadian laws “address modern challenges and to ensure continued protection of individuals’ rights […]
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10 October 2013
Chilean Senate Advances Access Law Amendments
The Senate in Chile has moved toward the adoption of amendments to the law on access to public information, according to media reports and the Pro Accesso advocacy group. The amendments would restrict access to official e-mails, critics say. The bill also touches on many procedural elements of the current law. The House has not […]
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10 October 2013
Israel to Cut FOI Fees, Cover Private Functions, Livni Says
Fees for making freedom of information requests will be cut and more information will be provided about private organizations performing public functions, according to Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. “When the state transfers resources into private hands,” Livni said, “the communication needs to be transparent and open for public scrutiny… the relationship needs to be […]
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7 October 2013
Abe Promotes Secrecy, Sidelining Transparency and OGP
By Jeff Kingston Kingston is Director of Asian Studies, Temple University Japan. Norika Fujiwara, a TV celebrity who serves as goodwill Ambassador for the Japanese Red Cross, recently caused a media sensation when she came out against the government’s proposed secrecy legislation, saying it would adversely affect citizens. Writing on her website last month, she urged […]
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7 October 2013
Uruguay’s Senate Defers Making FOI Amendments
The Senate in Uruguay has delayed making controversial modifications to the freedom of information law. A budget bill approved before by the Representatives Chamber contained an article (Article 37) to make changes to the law. The Center for Archives and Access to Public Information (CAINFO) and other civil society groups opposed the amendments as regressive. […]
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4 October 2013
Tunisia Proposes to Amend Access Law, Add Commission
The Tunisian government has proposed amendments to the post-revolution Decree 41 on accersss to information The proposed changes would create an independent commission to monitor government performance on access to information and to process appeals. Abderrahman Ladgham, the deputy prime minister for anti-corruption and good governance said, “If their demands [for information] are not met, citizens […]
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30 September 2013
Japan Secrets Proposal Criticized as Too Sweeping
The Japanese government may modify a proposal to protect state secrets, according to media reports, but the changes appear unlikely to mollify criticis who say the bill goes too far. The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe administration plans to insert language in the bill to guarantee freedom of the press and people’s right to know, according to a Japan Times […]
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26 September 2013
Pace of Activity on FOI Legislation Still Vigorous
The pace of passing access to information laws may be slowing, but not the number of bills under consideration, according to a FreedomInfo.org tally. Is a slowdown under way in the blistering adoption rate seen in the past two decades? Twelve laws been adopted already in the latest three-year (2010-2012) period (calendar years), but only […]
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16 September 2013
Uruguay Proposals on FOI Law Considered Regressive.
Uruguay is considering expanding the exemptions in its freedom of information law, with the Senate now working on government proposals being called “regressive” by groups fighting the changes. Among other things, the bill would allow less access to documents used to develop policy and to evaluation documents. The Uruguayan Senate is in the process of considering […]
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12 September 2013
President Zuma Returns Secrecy Bill to Assembly
South African President Jacob Zuma Sept. 12 referred the controversial Protection of State Information Bill back to the National Assembly to address constitutionality issues. “It is my opinion that the bill would not pass constitutional muster,” he said. Zuma’s move was welcomed by critics, who see it as another chance to amend the bill, but […]
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5 September 2013
Indian RTI Amendments Referred to Committee
Legislation to exempt the political parties from coverage under the Indian Right to Information Act on Sept. 5 referred to a parliamentary standing committee for further consideration. “The government has decided that there should be more discussion on this Bill. We will bring this Bill in Parliament in the Winter Session,” said V Narayanasamy, […]