Ohio

October 1, 2008: Mayor Gary Woodward rebuked a claim by three council members that public records are missing from the city manger's personnel file.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Oct. 1, Woodward wrote that the background check, performance review and disciplinary action either didn't exist or were not public records.

He claims individual reviews by council members of McDonnell's performance and her background check are not public records under the Ohio Sunshine Law. Read the full article here.

Agency eases records policy
September 26, 2008: The Ohio Department of Public Safety has revised a public-records policy that one expert denounced as restricting employees' free speech and inviting denial and delay in releasing records.

The policy adopted June 26 put 3,944 Public Safety employees on notice that they would face discipline if they informed the public of the existence of public records or suggested that anyone file a records request.

That provision, denounced as "draconian" and "stupid" by Herschel Sigall, union lawyer for the Ohio State Troopers Association, was killed. Read the full article here.

Ohio court: Request for lawmaker records overbroad
September 25, 2008: The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that an attorney went too far with a public records request to investigate whether a state lawmaker was investing in the same foreign interests she was trying to outlaw. Read the full article here.

State keeps ambulance-run data under wraps
September 21, 2008: You are far more likely to need an ambulance than a firetruck.

But Ohio won't let you see the records that show how fast the paramedics in your community respond to calls.

Since 2002, the Ohio Emergency Medical Services agency has kept track of response time for each medical emergency in the state. But the agency issues a report card only for each county, not for each fire department. Read the full article here.

Transparency in Ohio

• Ohio Ten point checklist
• Advocacy Groups in Ohio
• Ohio government corruption
• Ohio Transparency Legislation

School Districts

• List of School Districts in Ohio

FOIA Laws

• Ohio FOIA procedure
• Ohio Open Records Requests

Public records policies for Ohio government entities

Visit this page to download or view copies of public records policies for various Ohio jurisdictions.

Capital Budget Requests

Visit Ohio Capital Budget Requests to download or view copies of all capital budget requests for Ohio state representatives and senators.

Spending Transparency

State Rep. Tom Brinkman, R-Cincinnati, and other legislators have sponsored H.B. 420, substantially modeled on the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

Blogging resources

• Ohio blogs

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