Arkansas attorney general approves FOIA amendment title

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has approved the title of a proposed amendment to enshrine the Freedom of Information Act in the state constitution.

The proposal was put forth by Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT). The group hopes to get a constitutional amendment put on the ballot in November called the “The Arkansas Government Transparency Act.”

The law would enshrine the Freedom of Information Act in the State constitution. This comes after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders made moves to weaken FOIA last year.

Arkansas attorney general approves FOIA amendment title

Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Wednesday approved language of an amendment title to enshrine FOIA in the state constitution.

Third proposed Arkansas government transparency amendment submitted to AG

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Proposed ballot language that would make government transparency a constitutional right in Arkansas still lacks clarity and is unfit for a statewide vote, Attorney General Tim Griffin wrote in a Monday opinion.

In response, the nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) submitted another draft to Griffin’s office Monday evening.

ACT proposed a second iteration of the amendment Dec. 20 after Griffin rejected an earlier attempt. The group submitted four potential ballot titles:

• The Arkansas Government Transparency Amendment

• The Arkansas Government Openness Amendment

• The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment

• The Open Meetings and Open Records in State and Local Government Amendment

Third proposed Arkansas government transparency amendment submitted to AG

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin speaks alongside Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in this file photo.

Arkansas transparency group unveils new drafts for FOIA constitutional amendment, initiated act

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The government transparency group hoping to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act in the state Constitution released a second draft of a proposed amendment with an accompanying citizen-initiated act Monday.

Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) unveiled its first draft of the proposed amendment last month, with the goal of qualifying for the 2024 statewide ballot. The nonpartisan group formed after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders advocated for several exemptions to the FOIA and signed one into law after a special legislative session in September.

The seven members of ACT’s drafting committee realized they could better achieve their goals of creating enforceable government transparency policy by proposing an act as well as an amendment, they said in a statement Tuesday.

Arkansas transparency group unveils new drafts for FOIA constitutional amendment, initiated act

Jacob Kauffman/Little Rock Public Radio

Transparency advocates hear public input on proposal to enshrine FOIA in Arkansas Constitution

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Members of a government transparency group answered questions from a small crowd in Little Rock on Thursday about their effort to bolster the state’s public records and open meetings law that they hope will appear on the 2024 Arkansas ballot.

Last month, Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) unveiled a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act in the state Constitution. ACT members said they will create and make public at least one more draft before submitting it to Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, who must approve the ballot title and popular name.

The proposed amendment would specify government transparency as a constitutional right. It would also require a vote of the people to enact any future changes to restrict government openness — a direct response to September’s special legislative session that proposed several exemptions to the FOIA, one of which became law.

Transparency advocates hear public input on proposal to enshrine FOIA in Arkansas Constitution

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Several drafters of a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act in the state Constitution participated in a public forum in Little Rock on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. From left: attorney David Couch, Arkansas Press Association Executive Director Ashley Wimberley, Democratic state Sen. Clarke Tucker, attorney Jen Standerfer and former independent state representative Nate Bell.

College Entrance Exam Process Tested During Pandemic

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt education, high school students applying for college are facing more challenges. While many universities are dropping mandatory standardized test scores for admissions, students may still need them to apply for scholarships or receive financial aid. After canceling tests in the spring because of the coronavirus, ACT is looking for ways to become more accessible for students.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/college-entrance-exam-process-tested-during-pandemic

College Entrance Exam Process Tested During Pandemic

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt education, high school students applying for college are facing more challenges. While many universities are dropping mandatory standardized test scores for admissions, students may still need them to apply for scholarships or receive financial aid.