Top Ten open government stories of 2023 (part one)
Attacks on open government continued in 2023 – and the Open Government Coalition continued to fight back. Here is their list of the top ten stories in that fight from 2023.
Amye Bensenhaver
Amye is a retired assistant AG who specialized in open records laws. She is the co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. (Read the rest of her bio on the Contributors page.)
What will be the record of our new AG when it comes to open government?
Will Russell Coleman follow the law and precedent – or will he be like past AGs who often stood in the way of transparency?
A major open-records decision: the Court got it right
The Kentucky Open Government Coalition won a major court case in the ongoing fight for government transparency. Amye Bensenhaver explains.
The Arkansas fight for transparency – a model for Kentucky
The bi-partisan forces supporting transparency won a victory in Arkansas. Can we in Kentucky do the same in 2024?
Arkansas sets the bar; will Kentuckians respond?
Arkansans set a high bar for Kentuckians in responding to their governor’s direct assault on the state’s public records law, and their message is clear: Stop putting the public’s interest last yet again.
Louisville’s new body cam policy gets one thing wrong
Parts of the new body cam policy released by Mayor Greenberg are laudable. But, as Amye Bensenhaver points out, the policy has one significant flaw.
Pandemics, masks, and open meetings
Is requiring a mask to attend a public meeting a violation of the open meetings laws? Our courts are weighing in; Amye Bensenhaver explains.
Repubs ignore open-records laws, and it backfires on them
This is a story about public records, timely access denied, calculated deception, and breach of public trust.
Cameron’s office continues to ignore court order
In 35 years of open records practice, I can recall no prior case in which a court has ordered the Attorney General’s office to submit to a deposition because of the failure of the AG to discharge his basic legal duties.
Choosing to fail at open government: the Louisville mayor
In the most recent test of his stated commitment to open government, Louisville Mayor Greenberg is failing.
The public’s right to know is under attack.
LBJ signed the Freedom of Information Act on July 4, 1966. He noted that it was a sign that the U.S. was an open society. Now that right is under attack.
Cameron’s loss in court should be a cautionary tale for future AGs
The Oldham County Circuit Court’s June 13 open meetings opinion should serve as a cautionary tale for the next Attorney General.
Cameron’s dream of secrecy would be Kentucky’s nightmare
Daniel Cameron’s track record on open records isn’t just bad – it’s scary bad.
How to improve open records work in Louisville
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg is making good on his campaign promise to improve open records compliance. But there’s one more thing that is needed.
Open government legislative wrap-up: disenfranchisement
The goal is disenfranchisement – and the majority leadership is succeeding in that goal.
Bensenhaver: I will not celebrate Sunshine Week this year.
“Sunshine Week has become a Hallmark holiday — a Valentines Day for those who lament the fact that they have none — a Bosses Day for those who lament the fact that they do.”
