1. Transparency Camp 2016

2. The power of information
“Information is the currency of a democracy.”
-- Thomas Jefferson

3. WHO WE ARE
Founded in 1990
Nonprofit, 501(c)(3), nonpartisan, statewide
Supported by member dues, events, grants
23 person board of directors, legal panel
Help to open up government—public records, open meetings, First Amendment

4. WHAT WE DO
Educate: Community Outreach, Hotline, CLE, Online free training
Advocate: Legislative lobbying, newspaper op-eds, mirror request, letters to government bodies
Enforce: Work with Attorney General, join lawsuits and bring legal actions when necessary

5. The First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

6. Why care about transparency?
Your Government
Your Money
Your Right to Know
Doing the work of democracy
Secrecy equals totalitarian government

7. Hungarian Parliament

9. Unlock public records

10. Let the sunshine in!
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) signed into law in th anniversary in 2016!
New Mexico’s public records and open meetings acts, like other states, are created by statute.
Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA)
Open Meetings Act (OMA)

11. What’s a record?
Documents, letters, books, maps, tapes, photographs, recordings and other materials regardless of physical form or characteristics
, metadata, text messages
Anything used, created, received, maintained or held by or on behalf of any public body and relating to public business

12. Are these records? Text messages Emails on a home computer
Video from security cameras in a courthouse hallway?
Disciplinary reports
Checks
Tape recordings from a meeting

13. There is no protection:
For certain privacy concerns of public employees—Privacy is hot issue now
For documents not approved by a supervisor
Complex documents
Drafts D

14. Hot issues How do we get timely compliance
What are penalties after Faber?
How does AG approach compliance?
How do Courts approach compliance?
When is a third party a state actor?
Cost of records…Paper versus electronic

15. Sunshine at the Roundhouse

16. 2016 Legislative Victories
Archiving House floor and committee webcasts, but not Senate – Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces)
HB 105 Improve Campaign Finance Reporting Data – Rep. Jim Smith (R- Sandia Park) and Sen. Daniel Ivey- Soto (D-Albuquerque)
Searchable, Sortable, Downloadable

17. Secret Budget Meetings
House Appropriations and Finance Committee locked doors during discussion of stripped down budget
Senate Finance Committee met in small conference room in North Capitol
“Talk Turkey”
“F-Bombs”
Vote to approve budget during public hearing, which lasted a mere 22 minutes

18. Questions? New Mexico Foundation for Open Government www.nmfog.org
(505)
(888)