Blog Posts
D.C. Open Government Coalition Brings Budget Requests to Recent Council Hearings
April 23, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
The District of Columbia policies of open records, open meetings and open data need updated laws and enough resources to make them work, according to five testimonies from the Open Government Coalition to hearings as the D.C. Council committees reviewed Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 to be voted on in less […]
D.C. Agencies Delayed and Denied Thousands of FOIA Requests in 2022
April 17, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
Delay and denial were again the everyday experiences of requesters seeking government records in the District last year, according to official data just released. The Open Government Coalition has emphasized the figures—40 percent late, over half not found or denied—in D.C. Council oversight testimony this spring urging attention to agency performance of obligations in the […]
Metro Transit Police Announce Policies for New Body-Worn Cameras
April 10, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
The public will have access to video from new cameras Metro police will wear starting soon. Other significant details of the new surveillance remain murky, according to the Open Government Coalition’s review of rules the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced recently online. The rail and bus system that serves Maryland, Virginia, and the […]
March 30, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
The three-judge commission that decides appeals of D.C. tenants’ complaints against landlords has admitted that for years it has not published its opinions as the law requires, and it also announced a start at catching up. The admission and correction came as the D.C. Rental Housing Commission (RHC) responded to an investigation by the […]
March 22, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
Anthony Williams, CEO and Executive Director of the Federal City Council, told an audience of transparency enthusiasts last week that his approach as mayor had been to “get info out promptly and manage it later” since “people should know what their government is accomplishing.” He praised journalists for pulling together mountains of facts for the […]
March 10, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
UPDATE 6-14-23 A veto override vote failed Tuesday (13) in the House of Representatives. See Martin Austermuhle reporting for DCist here. UPDATE 5-26-23 President Joe Biden on Thursday (25) declined to sign the resolution that had passed both houses of Congress disapproving the D.C. police reform bill. The White House message back to Capitol Hill […]
March 8, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
The D.C. Open Government Coalition submitted ten oral and written testimonies during the Council oversight season just concluded. With a roster completed with two new members selected in last fall’s elections, the new Council kicked off the 25th Council period with 63 hearings by eleven committees. Their charge was to review government performance in 2021-22 […]
Speakers Announced for “Open Government Summit” March 15, 2023
February 28, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
The D.C. Open Government Coalition and the Society of Professional Journalists-D.C. Professional Chapter invite you to the Open Government 2023 Summit. When: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 15, 2023 Where: Open Gov Hub, 1100 13th St. NW Ste. 800 (13th & L Streets) (McPherson Sq. Metro) The 2023 Summit returns in person! All are […]
D.C. Law Passed to Curb WhatsApp Misuse in Government Has Expired
February 14, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
UPDATE 5/6/23 The mayor allowed the legislation to become effective April 26 without her signature. The Council transmitted the act to Congress on May 2 for a 30-day review period that is expected to end June 13. UPDATE 3/7/23 The D.C. Council passed emergency and temporary legislation today by unanimous vote to extend the law […]
Save the Date: Sunshine Week Community Open Government Summit Set for March 15, 2023
January 25, 2023, by Fritz Mulhauser
Plan to attend the in-person return of the Coalition’s annual “Summit” meeting for everyone interested in District of Columbia government transparency. Join us on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the Open Gov Hub, 1100 13th St., N.W., 8th floor. See the richness of our past summit sessions, in write-ups available here. […]
