Politics

Sunlight Blogger Round-up: Regulating Lobbyists

By Zubedah Nanfuka

This week’s blogger round-up paints a promising picture for transparency development. At the same time, it shows that open government can be encouraged using various platforms including technology and plain old legislation. Diligent bloggers across the nation are proving that good governance is a collective role involving government, responsible citizens and proactive organizations. Read more about how lobbyists are being regulated as access to information about the environment becomes better.

• Andrew Cuomo, the governor-elect of New York state recently laid out a five-point plan in the New New York Agenda. The agenda includes Clean Up Albany, Get Our Fiscal House in Order and Rightsizing Government and may help restore public trust in the state?s government. Hao Wan lays out how the New New York government can use data and information governance, digital record management and public data exchange to improve openness. See more on the activecarbon blog.

• The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PDEP) has added new resources to their website to make information about natural gas drilling compliance and production more accessible. Blogging on Fracktracker, Sam Malone shows how the new resources that include material on well production, waste products, and violations will now be available online and lead to better-informed decision-making and reduction of fear on environment-related issues.

• Meetings for the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners in Pennsylvania are now being posted online.  As part of a transparency in government initiative, the county has also introduced posting of campaign finance filings by elected officials and candidates for elected office. See how Bernie O’Hare on Lehigh Valley Ramblings blog starts the conversation going.

• A new ordinance in Orange county California will require lobbyists who make more than $1,000 a month for lobbying activities, to register quarterly with the clerk of the board. The registration lists which will be available to the public will regulate lobbyists and help citizens understand who is lobbying for special interests as Kimberly Edds elaborates on the Orange County Register.

• There is an opportunity to make open data the law in San Francisco. The legislation, introduced by mayor Gavin Newsom will facilitate continued public access to city government. Get motivated by citizen activist Brian Purchia?s push for the vote for open data on the govfresh blog.

Full post as published by Sunlight Foundation on November 10, 2010 (boomark / email).