Blog Posts
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. […]
Holiday Letter from D.C. Open Government Coalition
December 17, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
Coalition founder and board president, Tom Susman, sends this letter to all: Dear Friend of Open Government: As the New Year approaches, the D.C. Open Government Coalition thanks you for your support and commitment to enhancing the public’s access to government information and ensuring the transparency of the District of Columbia government. As with so […]
D.C. Council Votes Major Open Government Improvements
December 11, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
This week, the D.C. Council advanced government transparency, especially concerning criminal justice. For years and increasingly since 2020 following the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis the community and the Open Government Coalition have called for more information that can bolster police accountability. The marathon Council action on more than 50 bills at its […]
November 12, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
UPDATE 12/11/22: The bill discussed below passed the full D.C. Council on its first reading November 15 and second reading December 6. The D.C. Open Government Coalition unsuccessfully wrote Council members requesting amendment or postponement. It goes to the mayor for signature (who suggested the bill in the first place) and then congressional review for […]
Advocates Welcome Architects’ Initial Work on New Archives Building, But Questions Remain
October 17, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
After years of delay, a new D.C. archives building came one step closer to life with a September 1 draft report from its architects. But reviewers in the community are concerned much remains to be clarified, according to comments submitted by three groups to the D.C. Office of Public Records, the office advising the D.C. […]
D.C. Archives Improvements Are A Work in Progress
August 21, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
Plans are moving slowly for a new D.C. Archives facility, and so far without noticeable attention to concerns surfaced in Council hearings and budget reports earlier in the year, according to D.C. Open Government Coalition discussions with advocates, observations of meetings, and a recent report by a new Archives Advisory Group to the D.C. Council. […]
Online Access to Some Files Opens at D.C. Court of Appeals
August 3, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
Court briefs and orders in appeals of some civil cases are now available online, according to an announcement from the D.C. Court of Appeals posted July 29. The brief announcement gave no details such as how to use the new feature. (TM; DR: hints for users: As typical with court records online, access is to […]
Coalitions Call for WMATA to Make Rules in the Sunshine for Police Body-Cam Video
July 15, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
UPDATE 7-18-22: D.C. Council member Charles Allen has asked Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Anzallo to provide a copy of completed procedures for new body-worn cameras. Allen specifically mentioned setting “clear standards for determining when footage should be reviewed and released to the public” and asked the chief to “provide members of the public – […]
Metro Transit Police To Get Body Cameras Next Year: But Will the Video Be Available?
July 3, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
Cash-strapped Washington Metro Area Transit Administration (WMATA) has a $905,000 gift from Uncle Sam to outfit 450 transit police with body-worn cameras beginning in 2023, according to Department of Justice and WMATA releases last week (28). Public concern and victims’ lawsuits, as well as new oversight of Metro Transit Police, have been fueled in recent […]
Coalition to D.C. Council: New CFO Will Face Challenges Including Transparency
June 28, 2022, by Fritz Mulhauser
The D.C Open Government Coalition warned the D.C. Council recently (16) that the nominee for the post of District chief financial officer, Glen M. Lee, has work to do if he’s confirmed. D.C. finances are uncertain (until people return to work downtown) and also public access to CFO information is too difficult, specifically: information to […]
