The State of FOI – Online Summit

The Indiana Broadcasters Association is offering a limited number of scholarships for broadcast journalists from IBA member stations to attend the 2020 Freedom of Information (FOI) Summit between September 24th and October 1st presented by the National Freedom of Information Coalition which promotes press freedom, legislative and administrative reforms and litigation to ensure open, transparent and accessible state and local governments and public institutions

The FOI Summit features presentations and discussions about trending topics in open government and access to public meetings and information in state and local public institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic and the killing of George Floyd and other related deaths sparking civil unrest around the nation and the world have focused greater interest and attention on state and local government transparency and accountability.

This year’s informative sessions include top professionals in the field presenting the challenges and suggested solutions to important transparency issues including:

  • Police transparency reform, which features individuals from three states that have enacted police reform measures and how their strategies can be applied to other jurisdictions;
  • The use of public funds for economic development that explores the questions of whether government confidentiality is necessary to secure economic development and jobs in communities, and what can be done to help residents better understand and obtain the costs and benefits from the use of public funds;
  • The future of public records in the digital age and the role of technology and administrative processes needed to ensure digital documents are secured and publicly available from cradle to grave and beyond;
  • Accessing public health data in a pandemic to keep residents informed amid the obstacles created by the misuse or misrepresentation of open government laws and exemptions;
  • The sustainability of online or virtual public meetings to supplement in-person meetings to increase public participation and inclusion; and,
  • Creating a culture of compliance to open government laws in public institutions, and what incentives are needed to enforce current laws to deter or punish violators.

The FOI Summit will also feature winning research papers from the second NFOIC FOI research competition. Research proposals encompass any research methodological approach (legal, survey, experimental, content analysis, etc.), to provide insights of practical value for those who work day-to-day in access to government information.

If you are interested in attending, fill out the form below.

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