Thursday, February 16, 2012
Summerville representative sponsors Freedom of Information Act amendment, which expands exemptions for law enforcement supplying information to the public.
SUMMERVILLE — Raising the hackles of watchdogs throughout the state, Rep. Chris Murphy of Summerville has proposed amendments to the state's Freedom of Information Act statute "to protect the integrity of the criminal trial process" and to bring it in line with federal and neighboring state laws. The amendment, concerned primarily with law enforcement, was introduced Feb. 7 and currently sits in the House judiciary committee. The original law was passed in 1976. Here is what the amendment does: According to Murphy, editorial boards throughout the state are throwing his amendment, H 4740, in line with President Barack Obama's healthcare reform as the worst legislation ever. "I'm getting many from press saying this is a police state etc…
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A Summerville town committee that entered executive session without a town attorney may have acted within their rights.
Municipal Association of South Carolina Executive Director Miriam Hair said Saturday that municipal council members can meet in executive session for legal advice without the town's attorney present. The issue arose last week when town council's public safety committee adjourned into executive session for "legal matters," but without the town's attorney. Read the story here. The executive session also came under fire for not giving sufficient explanation of the adjournment, a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Bailey has since said that he may have "erred on the side of brevity." The explanation was amended during the committee meeting from "legal matters" to "legal matters pertaining to Palmetto Behavioral Health." But …
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Thursday, July 7, 2011
Summerville town councilman stands by decision to discuss 'legal matters' in executive session without town attorney present.
An executive session called during the town's public safety committee Wednesday drew fire from reporters present over two issues: adjourning into executive session with out giving a specific purpose and discussing "legal matters" without the town attorney present. Councilman Walter Bailey, who chairs the committee, called the executive session for "legal matters" — a too brief statement, according to the S.C. Freedom of Information Act. Read the Freedom of Information Act here. "I might have erred on the side of brevity," Bailey said Thursday in an interview. As the council went to adjourn Wednesday, Journal Scene reporter Leslie Cantu objected by saying the committee could not meet on legal advice without the town attorney, Mark Stokes…
