open records

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last week that, in order to deny open records requests, police departments must show that releasing the requested documents, images or videos would cause “actual harm” – even during active investigations.

What records – if any – should be made available to the public during active criminal investigations or prosecution? That was the central question that Kentucky Supreme Court justices heard arguments about on Wednesday in a case that could determine whether a police department is allowed to withhold records from a news outlet because of the records’ connections to a criminal investigation.

Murray State University and WPSD-TV have agreed to a settlement in response to an open records lawsuit filed last year by the Paducah-based news station.

A GOP-backed bill that advocates say could “destroy” Kentucky’s Open Records Act has so far failed to pass the legislature. Kentucky’s Democratic governor expressed support for elements of the bill, which he said he believes would increase transparency.

Open government proponents warned House Bill 509 would “eviscerate” state public records law. They say a new version is better but still has problems.

Kentucky lawmakers voted to override most of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes on the second-to-last day in this year’s legislative session, securing…

Tennessee's newly elected governor says he wants to do a complete overhaul of the state's public records and open meeting laws as part of his commitment…

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations says it's helping protect the innocent by not turning over documents to the public, a policy that's raised some…

A Warren County judge has delayed a ruling in a case between Western Kentucky University and its student newspaper. WKU requested a stay in its lawsuit…

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear has found that Western Kentucky University officials acted illegally by turning down open records requests from two…