The Florida Sunshine Review spotlights the latest news on Florida open government laws and freedom of information (FOI) issues, with special emphasis on public records and open meetings developments. For similar Florida items plus mass media news, see the monthly Brechner Report from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida.

June 29, 2008

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Todd Ruger: Sarasota Sheriff’s Office settles Sunshine Law lawsuit, required to undergo training and pay $15,613 in legal fees …
Lakeland Ledger editorial page: Cloudiness on how to keep electronic communications records can lead to abuse and controversy regarding public officials …
St. Petersburg Times, by Dave DeCamp: Records of county commission candidate withheld in Pasco County due to law exemption …
Sarasota Herald Tribune, by Kim Hackett: Judge asked to order volunteer government board members to turn over computer e-mails in ongoing lawsuit over alleged Sunshine Law violations in Venice …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Kim Hackett: E-mail training is insufficient for elected and appointed officials in Venice …
Tampa Bay Business Journal: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation upgrades its online services …

June 15, 2008

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Kim Hackett: Open records case with Venice City Council draws national attention on freedom of information front …
Daytona Beach News-Journal: Gelber earns First Amendment award from First Amendment Foundation …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, column by Eric Ernst: Laws don’t take sides on public records at Venice City Council …

June 13, 2008

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Kim Hackett: Judge says Venice City Council members must hand over home PCs for retrieval of government-business e-mail …
ABC Action News.com: Florida Attorney General’s Office launches new Web site on most wanted fugitives …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Todd Ruger: Sarasota County arrests posted online ask a judge to rule that recorded telephone conversations of jail inmates are not public record …
Florida Times-Union editorial: Public records prices from Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office fall after newspaper inquiries …
Orlando Sentinel editorial: Attorney General McCollum’s “sunshine" advocate has an important role to play…
Florida Times-Union, by Paul Pinkham: Duval State Attorney Harry Shorstein changes policy on copying files sought by outside agencies …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Nic Corbett: Leon grand jury selection held in private …
Cape Coral Daily Breeze, by Matt Blumenfeld: Leon Cape Coral conversations before meeting cloud open meetings mandate …

June 4, 2008

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Kim Hackett: City of Venice promises to stop deleting records in open government case …
The Tampa Tribune, by Ray Reyes: Florida Attorney General’s Office launches new Web site on most wanted fugitives …
St. Petersburg Times, by Jonathan Abel: Attorneys for Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan’s son, file lawsuit asking a judge to rule that recorded telephone conversations of jail inmates are not public record …

June 3, 2008

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Florida Times-Union editorial: City attorneys should seek attorney general’s opinion on legality of local ordinance allowing higher-than-usual costs for public records copies from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Paul Flemming: Florida Attorney General’s Office appoints new attorney to focus on open government issues …