Freedom of information laws were first adopted at the state level beginning in 1997. These statewide laws set the precedent for the Indian Parliament to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2005. The RTI Act has since mandated government transparency for all of India except for the states of Jammu and Kashmir, which instead enforce individual state laws.
Read MoreOnline Resource for Canadian Legal Records
Established by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the non-profit Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) provides Canadian legal records available free of charge on the Internet. CanLII maintains an online database compiling legislation with decisions issued by Canadian courts, boards and tribunals.
Read MoreCanada: Access to Information Act
Canada's Access to Information Act was enacted in 1983 under the Pierre Trudeau government to establish public access to government documents. In addition to the federal act, each province has also passed individual freedom of information laws to govern provincial and local level agencies.
Read MoreCalifornia City and County Employee Salary Data Now Online
As promised last August in response to the Bell salary scandal, State Controller John Chiang has collected salary data for all California city and county employees to create an online database. This data has always been public information, but few local governments had made it readily available.
Read MoreHow To Verify Financial Advisers’ Credentials
Last weekend, the Wall Street Journal published an article discussing the importance of verifying financial advisers' credentials. The WSJ identified more than 200 credentials that financial advisers append to their names, most of which appear indistinguishable to the average consumer. However, the requirements to earn these credentials varies greatly.
Read MoreFinancial Records Entered Into Public Record Via Divorce Case Filings
Personal and business financial records are generally not accessible as public records. However, financial assets are typically disclosed in divorce filings and are thus backed into the public record.
Read MoreFOIA in the United States and Introduction to Worldwide Public Records Laws
International Right to Know Day was September 28. In keeping with the right to know spirit, we are presenting a four part series on freedom of information acts passed worldwide. We start with an overview on the US Freedom of Information Act.
Read MoreFDA Recall Information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posts regular product recalls and safety alerts. Most recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an online tool for shell eggs and egg products that have been included in the 2010 egg recall.
Read MoreSpeech Recognition and Closed Caption Searches for Internet Video Archives
Technology has enabled digitization of both new videos and those that predate the Internet for online streaming. With more videos becoming available on the Internet, websites are developing speech recognition technology that may eventually lead to closed caption searches - a useful tool for canvassing video content.
Read MoreResource for Verifying California Professional Licenses
Before choosing a doctor, accountant, contractor, or other licensed professional, a good resource is the California Department of Consumer Affairs' list of links for license verification.
Read MoreOnline Database of Active Workers’ Compensation Cases (California)
California's Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) public search tool provides access to a searchable database of active workers' compensation cases filed with the Worker's Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB). The EAMS database includes active cases that are in dispute and filed as appeals with the WCAB.
Read MoreScandal Leads to Requirement for More Detailed City Level Salary Reporting Requirements (California)
In response to the recent salary scandal in Bell, California, Controller John Chiang issued an order last week requiring that all California cities and counties report taxpayer-funded salaries in more detail.
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