Connecticut

October 1, 2008: The FOIC will move cautiously to enforce a new law that requires cities and towns to post minutes and agendas on municipal Web pages. There is no good reason to shut those sites down.

It would be a great disservice if any municipalities shut down their Web sites today out of fear of being unable to comply immediately with a new state law that requires the posting of minutes and special meeting agendas in a timely fashion. Read the full editorial here.

Business booming for FOI Commission
September 30, 2008: In December, when Fairfield First Selectman Ken Flatto removed the town Conservation Department from overseeing the largest development in town history, he did it behind closed doors.

In response, Kathryn Braun, a Fairfield attorney, helped draft a Freedom of Information complaint against the selectman for the Fairfield Friends of Open Space, a preservation group. She alleged the private meeting was illegal because it concerned matters meant for the public.

Her complaint now is one of a record number before the state Freedom of Information Commission, which is hard-pressed to explain a cause for this year's increase. Read the full article here.

Towns could pull plug on Web sites
September 27, 2008: On Wednesday, when people try to log on to more than a dozen Web sites for small towns throughout the state, they might find a message stating the sites are unavailable.

The change coincides with a new law requiring municipalities and other public agencies to post board, commission and committee agendas and minutes in accordance with the recently revamped Freedom of Information Act. Read the full article here.

FOI refresher will clear air
September 27, 2008: Conduct the public's business in public. That is the basic intent of Connecticut's Freedom of Information law.

And because North Stonington's Board of Education violated it, its members are now required to attend a training session where they will brush up on the open-government law and its subtleties. Read the full article here.

Transparency & Government

• Ten point checklist for statewide organizations
• Connecticut Transparency Advocacy Groups
• Connecticut government corruption
• Connecticut Transparency Legislation

School Districts

• Connecticut School Districts
• Connecticut Department of Education
• Connecticut School Spending

FOIA Laws

• Connecticut Freedom of Information Act
• FOIA procedures
• Notable FOIA requests in Connecticut

Blogging resources

• Connecticut blogs

• Sunshine Review is building its community pages. Jump in!
• Sunshine Review:Adopt a project is looking for volunteer editors.

Currently, Sunshine Review has 5,541 articles and 163 contributors. Help it grow.

Sunshine Review is already adding some spring to the steps of activists touting government transparency. Find out what people are saying about us and feel free to chime in.