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Brechner Freedom of Information Project

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Knight Foundation Endowment to Help Expand Sunshine Week Under University of Florida Leadership

Monday March 25, 2024

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC)  and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced the establishment of the Knight Sunshine Fund at the University of Florida, an endowment of $575,000 to help expand the reach and impact of Sunshine Week and increase public awareness of the importance of […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Public Records Transparency Laws and Secrecy Creep

Monday March 18, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “South Dakota Lags in Public-Records Transparency Laws, Expert Says” published on South Dakota’s soiuxlandproud.com on March 17. According to Cuillier, South Dakota’s state laws providing public access to state and local government records are among the weakest in the U.S. Cuillier said exemptions […]
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Miami Herald Wins Brechner FOI Award for “Shakedown City”

Monday March 18, 2024

The Miami Herald is the winner of the 2024 Brechner Freedom of Information Award for “Shakedown City,” an investigation into government corruption within the city of Miami that spawned a series of investigations by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission and state ethics commission. The award is administered by the Joseph L. […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Florida’s Marsy’s Law

Friday March 15, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Despite Marsy’s Law Ruling, TPD Won’t Release Information on Officer Involved in Shooting” published in the Tallahassee Democrat on March 15. The article focuses on Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2018 that grants certain rights to crime victims […]
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David Cuillier Authors Article and is Quoted in Stories on Government Secrecy and Public Records Laws

Thursday March 14, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is the author of “Growing Secrecy Limits Government Accountability” published on theconversation.com on March 11. In the article, Cuillier focuses on how government agencies are increasingly hiding their work from the public and how this behavior can have significant ramifications. Cuillier writes, “For decades, journalists and […]
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David Cuillier Comments of Florida’s Public Records Law and Sunshine Week Activities

Monday March 11, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Sunny State Turned Cloudy: A Boca Raton Lawsuit Illustrates ‘Erosion’ of Florida’s Public Records Law” published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel on March 10. The article focuses on Florida’s Sunshine Law requiring government meetings and documents to be open to the public, […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Roadblocks to Public Records Access in Alabama

Friday March 8, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Patchwork of ‘Broken’ Systems for Resolving Open Records Disputes Exists Across U.S. States” published on The Huntsville (Alabama) Item’s website on March 7. The article focuses on nurse Dana Holladay-Hollified’s quest to find out the salaries of hospital executives where she works. The […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Florida Newspaper’s Lack of Access to Sheriff’s Press Conference

Thursday March 7, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Volusia Sheriff’s Office Leaves News-Journal Off Invitation List to Press Conference” published in The Daytona Beach News Journal on March 5. The story focuses on Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood who has repeatedly not invited The Daytona Beach News Journal to an important press […]
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David Cuillier and Mickey Nall Comment on Local Journalist’s BOLO Notice

Monday March 4, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, and Mickey Nall, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Public Relations professional-in-residence, are quoted in “HCA North Florida Hospital: ‘BOLO’ for Mainstreet Journalist” published in Gainesville, Florida’s Mainstreet Daily News on Feb. 29. The article focuses on a “Be on the lookout” or […]
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New Study Explores How College Media Independence Can Survive Financial Instability

Monday February 19, 2024

More than half of college student news organizations have major financial ties to their university, which can be problematic for student journalists who risk losing their independence if there aren’t several safeguards in place. That was one of the findings in a new report from the University of Florida Brechner Freedom of Information Project, which studied […]
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David Cuillier Comments on State Secrecy and Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Wednesday February 14, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “’I Like Mexicans’ Omitted from San Fran State Crime Announcement” published in The College Fix on Feb. 14. The article focuses on the actions of officials at San Francisco State University who won’t explain why they redacted a witness statement to the police […]
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UFCJC Doctoral Student to Serve on Student Press Law Center Online Panel

Wednesday February 7, 2024

Jessical Sparks, a University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) doctoral student and graduate student researcher for the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, will be a panelist for the Student Press Law Center online discussion “The Challenges and Future of College Press Freedom” on Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. The panel will discuss […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Louisiana’s Use of Public Records Requests for Journalists’ Emails

Friday February 2, 2024

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “’Certainly Intimidation:’ Louisiana Sues EPA for Emails of Journalists and ‘Cancer Alley’ Residents” published in The Guardian on Feb. 2. The article focuses on Louisiana’s fight against environmental protection with the rare use of public record laws to target citizens. This is a […]
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Brechner FOI Project to Co-Sponsor NFOIC Annual Research Competition

Tuesday January 9, 2024

The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information (FOI) Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications is joining the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) in promoting research in access to government information. The two organizations will co-sponsor the annual Freedom of Information Research Competition, which, for the past five years, has […]
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David Cuillier Comments on Government Secrecy and Lack of Public Records Access

Tuesday December 19, 2023

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Locked Out of Local Government: Residents Decry Increased Secrecy Among Towns, Counties, Schools” published on apnews.com on Dec. 18. The article focuses on the lack of disclosure regarding a major property-tax hike in a small Pennsylvania town. It’s an example of the trend […]
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