Maine's FOI Coalition reports 2006 accomplishments
Mal Leary, Maine SPJ Project Sunshine Chair and Maine FOI Coalition president, reports the work of the Maine FOI Coalition during 2006:
►Audits:
The Coalition conducted a follow-up to its 2002 public access audit, with mixed
findings. We surveyed 89 of Maine’s 489 municipalities using volunteer auditors
requesting to view undischarged tax liens, clearly a pubic record. Only 53 of
the 89 offices audited (59 percent) permitted access to those tax liens. It was
not all bad news on the public right to access front. In 2002, police
departments in Auburn, Biddeford, Fairfield, Freeport, Jay and Yarmouth denied
public access to documents. In 2006, each department complied with auditors’
requests. You can read all about both audits at www.mfoic.org
►Legislation:
Lawmakers were listening and legislation creating a permanent advisory committee
of FOAA issues was created unanimously by the legislature. A lot of hard work
both in the Judiciary Committee and with legislative leaders was needed to
create the panel which will advise the legislature’s Judiciary Committee on FOAA
matters.
The panel held its first meetings this fall and has
recommended legislation that would create an ombudsman’s office to help the
public with FOAA complaints and a measure that would mandate all elected
officials receive training in state FOAA laws.
►Education: The
Coalition has always maintained that most FOAA problems are from a lack of
understanding of the public records and public access laws. MFOIC has sponsored
or participated in several training programs for police, public officials and
reporters across the state. More training needs to be done and MFOIC is
committed to improving understanding of the law.