Posts Tagged ‘rti amendments’
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27 August 2013
Indian Parliamentary Panel to Review RTI Amendment
A committee of the Indian Parliament will review proposed amendments to exempt political parties from the Right to Information Act. Getting committee consideration was a key demand of opponents of the bill, which is supported by all the major parties. “I have written to Speaker Lok Sabha (Meira Kumar) to refer the RTI Bill to […]
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25 August 2013
Mexican House Passes FOI Bill With Altered Amendment
The Mexican House of Delegates on Aug. 22 overwhelmingly approved freedom of information legislation after a modification was made to a controversial provision that activists had said would undermine positive reforms. The House bill still would permit the government’s top legal official to ask the Supreme Court to override decision of Federal Institute for Access to […]
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22 August 2013
Groups Condemn Amendments Passed by Mexican House
Supporters of Mexico‘s freedom of information law are slamming a legislative change approved by several congressional committee that would make the Supreme Court the final legal authority in some instances instead of the Federal Institute for Access to Information (IFAI). In a statement issued Aug. 21, the Transparency Collective and México Informate, a coalition 15 […]
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14 August 2013
Texas OKs Message Boards for Officials to Communicate
The U.S. state of Texas has adopted a new law permitting government officials to establish online messaging systems to communicate. Another bill passed by the legislature defines the standards that governs the disclosure of public officials’ emails and brings state contractors under the Public Information Act. The messaging legislation (Senate bill 1297) authorizes electronic written […]
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13 August 2013
Indian Government Offers Bill to Exempt Parties from RTI
Legislation was introduced Aug. 12 in the Indian lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha) by the United Progressive Alliance to exempt political parties from the Right to Information Act. The bill would a June 3, 2013, order of the Central Information Commission deeming India’s six national political parties to be “public authorities” under the RTI […]
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2 August 2013
Irish Government Advances Bill to Amend FOI Statute
The Irish government has unveiled the text of its bill to change the Freedom of Information law, and while the expanded coverage and other provisions are generating applause from the pro-access community, one clause is raising eyebrows. The provision says agencies should take “reasonable steps” to search electronic records, but would not be required “to […]
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2 August 2013
40 Recommendations Made in Report on Australian FOI Law
By Peter Timmins Timmins is an Australian lawyer and consultant who works on FOI and privacy protection issues in Sydney, NSW. His report first appeared Aug. 2 in his Open and Shut blog. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus today released the Hawke report on the review of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act and the […]
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2 August 2013
Nigerian Official Urges Doubling of Reply Period
The head of the Nigerian civil service, Bukar Aji, on July 30 recommended that the 2011 Freedom of Information Act be amended to allow 14 days instead of seven to respond to requests. Aji spoke at National Conference on the Freedom of Information Act, organized by the Right to Know Initiative, in Abuja. He said […]
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2 August 2013
Indian Cabinet Approves Bill to Exempt Parties from RTI
The Indian Cabinet Aug. 1 approved proposed amendments to the Right to Information Act to nullify an order of the Central Information Commission making the six national political parties subject to the RTI law. The draft amendments are expected to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament beginning on Aug. 5. The consensus among […]
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24 July 2013
Indian RTI Supporters Object to Planned Amendments
A group of eminent citizens has objected to plans by the six major political parties to pass legislation exempting themselves from the Right to Information Act. A joint letter noted that the parties have not gone to court to challenge the June order of the Central Information Commission, but instead are making plans for a […]
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17 July 2013
Irish Government Offers FOI Law Amendments
The Irish government July 17 announced that it will soon offer a bill to make a variety of changes to the freedom of information law. More public bodies will be brought under the act’s purview, according to the announcement, made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin. This extension will cover the […]
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16 July 2013
Deadline Passes, Indian Parties Resist Compliance
July 15 was the deadline for six Indian political parties to appoint information officers and begin complying with the right to information, but they have not, according to Indian newspapers. The Central Information Commissioner on June 3 gave the parties six-weeks to act, but since then most of the parties have supported the idea of legislation to […]
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12 July 2013
Government of Uruguay Proposes FOI Amendments
The government of Uruguay has proposed more protection for documents creating during the deliberative process. The proposal would permit the government to prevent disclosure “until the respective decision is adopted.” The change is one of three proposed amendments to the 2008 law sent to Parliament, according to an article in El Pais (in Spanish). Two […]
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12 July 2013
Indian Sports Ministry Seeks to Bring Cricket Under RTI
The Indian Sports Ministry has launched a new effort to bring the Indian cricket board (BCCI) under the Right to Information Act. The ministry’s new draft National Sports Bill says only those federations coming under RTI can represent India in international competitions. A panel headed by retired judge Mukul Mudgal drafted the bill. The BCCI, […]
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10 July 2013
Indian Gov’t Still Planning to Overturn CIC Order
Instead of filing a court appeal, the Indian government is continuing to consider at a legislative way to overturn a June 3 Central Information Commission ruling making political parties subject to the right to information law, Indian papers continue to report. “Highly-placed sources in the Law Ministry today said that the CIC order would not be challenged by […]
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8 July 2013
FOIAnet Publishes Report Assessing RTI Globally
A comprehensive assessment of the right to information movement around the world was published July 8 by the Freedom of Information Advocates Network (FOIAnet). Chapters on seven regions combine historical overviews with evaluations the current situation. The 90-page report, written by veteran advocates, details the varied and similar experiences of civil society advocates, and sometimes includes recommendations for […]
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3 July 2013
Hungarian NGOs Call FOI Changes as Unconstitutional
Groups in Hungary are challenging the constitutionality of recent amendments to the freedom of information law. The modified law has the potential to curtail fundamental rights, according to a July 2 statement and a letter to Hungary’s president, Janos Ader (available here in Hungarian), sent by Transparency International (TI) Hungary, TASZ and K-Monitor. The new […]
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1 July 2013
Indian Parties May Seek Exemption From RTI Act
The leading political parties of India reportedly have agreed to support an amendment that would exempt them from coverage under the right to information law. The political parties appear unified in their desire to overturn a controversial early June ruling by the Central Information Commission bringing them under the purview of the RTI Act. (See […]
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1 July 2013
Australian Parliament Gives Itself a FOI Exemption
Both the House and the Senate in Australia have passed legislation to exempt themselves from the Freedom of Information Act. The debate is described in a series of posts, including this one, by Peter Timmins in his blog Open and Shut. The bills passed easily. The exemption comes in advance of the imminent release of […]
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21 June 2013
Ontario Commissioner Says Emails Improperly Deleted
The information commissioner of the Canadian province of Ontario has found that a top government official improperly deleted emails. Commissioner Ann Cavoukian said in a report that the chief of staff to the former minister of energy violated the Archives and Recordkeeping Act (ARA) and the records retention schedule developed for ministers’ offices by the […]