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Copping Out on FOI Laws

By AAN Staff
june 26, 2002  11:34 am
Copping Out on FOI Laws
Law enforcement officials from Maine to California detest open records laws as much as the media loves them.Unfortunately, as the Sante Fe Reporter's Maria Luisa Tucker reports, the laws governing those records vary widely from state to state. For example, California and Florida have relatively clear guidelines, while Delaware and Idaho’s are notoriously problematic. In New Mexico, a vague state law has created loopholes that allow police to shield reports about ongoing investigations — sometimes forever. Now, one newspaper's lawsuit may soon create more sunshine. It’s an important case, particularly in a post Sept. 11 culture, wher public access to public documents continues to shrink.
View full article at Santa Fe Reporter