Bills concerning the records of cemetery associations, public comment periods and remote meetings are on their way through the legislature.
Freedom of Information Commission
Posted inMoney
FOI complaint seeks documents delving into fiscal stability panel’s work
Two progressive policy groups have charged the state’s fiscal stability commission with failing to disclose documents — including those tied to a nonprofit that funded key budgetary consultants for the panel. They are asking the legislature to put off acting on the panel’s recommendations until their request for the documents is resolved.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy releases funds withheld from CT watchdog agencies
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration relented Friday in its controversial battle to cut the budgets of state government’s autonomous watchdogs — as it has other agencies’ budgets — to help balance Connecticut’s finances.
Posted inMoney
Fasano seeks AG’s opinion on cuts to watchdogs’ budget
Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, requested a legal opinion from the attorney general Tuesday on the legality of the Malloy administration’s plan to cut the budgets of autonomous watchdog agencies.
Posted inPolitics
Stakes grow in Malloy’s third challenge of watchdogs’ autonomy
The latest challenge to the fiscal autonomy of state’s watchdog agencies by the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is raising unprecedented legal questions likely to eventually require Attorney General George Jepsen and Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo to publicly contradict or confirm the administration’s position.
Posted inJustice, Money, Politics
Advocates argue budget threatens CT’s right-to-know agency
Both the state Freedom of Information Commission and the state’s leading right-to-know advocacy group warned Friday that a proposed 20 percent budget cut for the commission — and the possible transfer of its public information officer into Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s office — could greatly weaken state government transparency.
Posted inPolitics
House OKs stronger FOI access to arrest records
The House of Representatives unanimously voted Friday for legislation that would declare arrest reports to be public documents under the Freedom of Information Act, reversing a major element of a Connecticut Supreme Court decision.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy appointee seeks greater say over watchdogs
An appointee of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy asked legislators Friday to help her exercise greater administrative control over the state’s watchdog agencies, including one investigating the governor’s campaign finances.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Courts, legislature, watchdogs will tighten belts to reduce CT’s deficit
The state’s Judicial and Legislative branches have ordered nearly $7 million in spending cuts Gov. Dannel P. Malloy requested last month, relying heavily on hiring restrictions to reduce costs. And the state’s watchdog agencies also have agreed to find the 1 percent cuts Malloy asked for to help close a small mid-year deficit.