Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project

Las Vegas journalist Brian Joseph named Brechner FOI Project Tampa Bay Times Kerlin Fellow - free tuition toward an online master's degree at University of Florida. Congrats!

Las Vegas investigative reporter named Kerlin fellow - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more

A dozen states have mulled legislation allowing agencies to haul public record requesters into court if deemed disruptive, vexatious, malicious or overly broad. https://brechner.org/2026/07/13/bills-request-a-record-and-get-hauled-into-court/

Bills: Request a record and get hauled into court - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more

Federal FOIA Advisory Committee is zeroing in on a half dozen recommendations for improving FOIA – more funding, transparency in the judicial/legislative branches, and more. Next meeting June 11.

FOIA Advisory Committee Votes to Approve Two Recommendations President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford Voting in the 1976 Election at Wealthy Elementary School in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. National Archives Identifier 45644327 Members of the FOIA…

Bills would prohibit government agencies from keeping data center agreements secret.

Bills would prohibit secrecy in data center agreements - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more

Did you catch the latest FOI news in the Brechner Report, including journalist frustrations with increasing secrecy? Check it out and sign up for the free monthly email newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/jou.ufl.edu/the-brechner-report-dec-4830139

Brechner FOI Project seeks part-time contractor to coordinate Sunshine Week. Join the fun!

https://brechner.org/2026/04/23/brechner-foi-project-seeks-sunshine-week-contractor/

Maryland inspectors general ask for special access to public records so they can root out corruption.

Maryland inspectors general ask for special access to records - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more

Illinois bill would exempt from public records requests “junk mail” clogging government inboxes. Question: Who is requesting junk mail and why?

Illinois bill would exempt government junk mail from disclosure - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more

Jason Leopold of Bloomberg News tells students: Always appeal when denied records! He won the 2026 Brechner FOI Award.

Leopold tells students to always appeal record denials - Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Read more