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06.04.2024
2024 Session: Chipping Away at Sunshine
- Budget & Taxes
- Legislature
- Open Meetings & Public Records
A year after lawmakers passed the state budget in a frenzied final few minutes before theirdeadline, the Louisiana Legislature adopted a $49 billion compromise package of spending plansthis year with time to spare and no last-minute chaos in their three-month regular session.
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05.13.2024
Governor’s Records Should Remain Open
- Legislature
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Just as it appeared one awful public records exemption bill may be defeated for the current legislative session, another damaging exemption idea could take its place.
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04.22.2024
PAR Urges Lawmakers to Safeguard Public Access to Government Records
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Louisiana’s lawmakers have a significant opportunity to protect their constituents’ access to theinformation needed to hold public officials accountable and understand the decisions about howtheir tax dollars are used.
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05.03.2023
Going Virtual: Open Meetings Law Changes
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Louisiana Legislature considering bill to broaden online access to public meetings, but with guardrails to ensure citizen participation.
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04.22.2022
Pork in the Budget
- Budget & Taxes
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Even as they wisely steer money to debt payments, education and infrastructure investments, Louisiana lawmakers also are making the short-sighted, politically driven decision to spend millions of dollars on local pet projects without public vetting or explanation.
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03.30.2022
Going Virtual
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Pandemic showed some benefits to meeting online, but widening virtual meeting authority should protect citizen access.
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02.11.2021
Reverse Lawsuit Sets Bad Example
- Ethics
- Open Meetings & Public Records
The Attorney General’s threat to sunshine law tempts all agencies to foil citizen access.
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12.09.2019
Made to Be Broken
- Legislature
- Open Meetings & Public Records
The Louisiana Senate should repeal its secret balloting procedure to elect the next Senate President. The four-year-old Senate rule created a process that violates the state Constitution and the law. The newly elected Senate should begin its term in January by sending a strong positive message of transparency and accountability.
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03.08.2018
Sunshine Week Episodes
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Throughout the week, PAR will release daily episodes of recommendations and public pronouncements. We will identify resources and opportunities for promoting bright sunshine on government records, officials and events.
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02.20.2018
Louisiana Checkbook: A Well-Balanced Proposal
- Budget & Taxes
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Louisiana’s state and local governments can take big steps toward greater online transparency & accountability with their spending.
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03.16.2017
Sunshine Week
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Louisiana has sound fundamental laws for public records and open meetings that recognize our state constitutional right to review documents and observe meetings of public bodies. Exceptions to these open governance laws should be kept reasonable, and government officials should not be allowed to stretch the rules to deny public access.
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04.29.2016
Transparency in Coastal Restoration Funding: The Need for an Open Process
- Coastal Restoration & Protection
- Open Meetings & Public Records
(PDF Version) Louisiana is poised to receive and spend billions of dollars for coastal protection and restoration over the next decade and beyond. These funds come from a variety of sources. Louisiana has a duty to demonstrate to its funding authorities as well as its citizens that coastal dollars are being well spent and the […]
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12.10.2015
Body-Worn Cameras: The Legal Context in Louisiana
- Judiciary
- Open Meetings & Public Records
Some jurisdictions in Louisiana are considering the implementation or expansion of the use of body-worn cameras for law enforcement officers. Also, the Legislature has appointed a study committee to consider the impact of deploying this technology and potential legislative measures.