Transparency

2024 mission for state and local leaders: Protect democracy

COMMENTARY | By making voting easy, transparent and secure, state and local leaders can ensure election systems remain strong in 2024.

  • By Debbie Cox Bultan

How efforts to restrict democracy in Ohio also make it harder to fight climate change

Gerrymandering, voter suppression, dark money and other moves insulate policymakers from accountability when they prop up fossil fuels at the expense of clean energy.

  • By Kathiann M. Kowalski, Energy News Network

After George Floyd’s murder, more states require release of police disciplinary records

Lawmakers and advocates say open data on police disciplinary records would boost transparency, accountability and the ability to identify patterns of misconduct in law enforcement agencies.

  • By Amanda Hernández, Stateline

AI could shore up democracy—Here’s one way

COMMENTARY | Public comment could soon swamp government officials and representatives, thanks to AI, but AI could also help spot compelling stories from constituents.

  • By Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders , The Conversation

AI Is Used Widely, but Lawmakers Have Set Few Rules

Connecticut is the latest state to legislate new guardrails for artificial intelligence.

  • By Caitlin Dewey, Stateline

Key Parts of US Laws are Hard for the Public to Find and Read

Oblique or missing references to standards and codes specified by law make it difficult for judges, lawyers and the general public to comply with regulations.

  • By D. R. Jones, The Conversation

3 Ways Governments Can Regain Citizens’ Trust

COMMENTARY | Transparency, efficiency and accountability are the key ingredients to rebuilding confidence.

  • By Rajiv Desai

States and Cities are Moving to Make Virtual Hearings Permanent

In the nation's statehouses and city halls, officials want remote meetings to outlast the Covid-19 crisis. Disability advocates are among those who support the idea. Others worry about the loss of in-person interactions and diminished oversight.

  • By Daniela Altimari

Mayor Snagged in WhatsApp Debate

Use of the encrypted messaging app by Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration rekindles discussion over apps that allow officials to skirt the spirit, if not the letter, of open records laws.

  • By Shourjya Mookerjee

Legislation Seeks to Block Secrecy With Economic Development Deals

Bills put forward in at least three states aim to ensure there's transparency around tax breaks and other incentives.

  • By Bill Lucia

How One City is Working to Make Spending Data More Transparent

Efforts by Los Angeles' controller to open up city fiscal data took on an added dimension when Covid-19 hit.

  • By Bill Lucia

Billions Are Coming From Washington. The Fraudsters and the Corrupt Are Drooling.

COMMENTARY | Local governments should recognize the potential threat of corrupt uses of federal stimulus money by public officials. There are some steps auditors and honest public leaders can take to prevent fraudulent activity.

  • By Mark Funkhouser
Featured eBooks
The Changing Transportation Landscape
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A Transparent Look at How Governments Are Spending the $350B in ARPA Funds

On Aug. 31, states and large localities had to provide reports on how they are allocating their federal funds. They also have to post them on transparency websites, which can help them learn from one another and coordinate spending plans.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

These Steps Can Help Build Trust in Vaccination Programs

COMMENTARY | States and localities should prioritize using clear, science-based communication, restoring trust and providing better data to address the hesitancy some people have about getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

  • By Graham Stroman

In One State, a Battle Over Publicly Naming Disciplined Police Officers

A state appeals court in New Jersey ruled that the attorney general does have the power to compel police departments to disclose the names of police officers who have been disciplined for misconduct.

  • By Emma Coleman

A State Moves to Publicly Disclose Information on Workplace Coronavirus Outbreaks

The decision by Oregon officials comes after scrutiny over outbreaks at a fruit company there.

  • By Bill Lucia

In the Age of Social Distancing, Government Meetings Go Virtual

State and local governments are holding virtual meetings to slow the spread of Covid-19 and trying to find ways to continue public participation.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Granting Anonymity to State Lawmakers—Behind Tinted Windows

State law in Rhode island requires tinted car windows to let in a certain amount of light. One lawmaker wants to exempt General Assembly members from the rule, saying it's necessary to ensure safety.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Union Organizing Emails May Be Subject to Disclosure After State High Court Ruling

A group often at odds with government labor unions says the case sets an important precedent for when correspondence about union activities is public record.

  • By Bill Lucia

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge on State Code Copyrights

Georgia holds a copyright for its annotated state code, which sells for $404, and sued to block a website from distributing free copies of the document.

  • By Andrea Noble

A Proposal to Link States’ Control Over Federal Block Grants to Their Ethics and Transparency Laws

The idea, which faces long odds on Capitol Hill, is being pushed by a Michigan congressman.

  • By Bill Lucia