[UPDATE: The bill summarized in this blog post has been significantly revised. Go here for a summary of the most recent edition.] Many North Carolina law enforcement agencies have invested in body-worn cameras (BWCs). A major selling point is transparency. … Read more

North Carolina local governments occasionally receive requests for records under the wrong law. Here’s an example: Dear FOIA Officer: Pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request access to and copies of the following … Read more

North Carolina state law requires city councils, boards of county commissioners, and local school boards, to provide at least one public comment period per month at a regular meeting. Many boards have adopted policies governing what may be said and … Read more

Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) may be coming to Pleasantville. The community is deeply divided about it. A majority of the town council strongly favors this opportunity to bring jobs to the area. The board has met with representatives from Extraction Services, … Read more

The city council has scheduled a meeting to discuss four things related to employee salaries: 1) Review of a pay study prepared by a consultant that describes current employee salaries compared with market rates; 2) Whether to authorize an across-the-board … Read more

Local governments obtain all sorts of information about citizens. Whether it’s for utility billing, payment of taxes, issuing permits, participation in local programs and volunteer activities, or as a result of regulatory or law enforcement activities, our personal information makes … Read more

[Update: The North Carolina Supreme Court reversed this decision in Asheville v. State. Read about the Supreme Court decision in a blog post here.] In 2013 the North Carolina General Assembly enacted a law (S.L. 2013-50) that requires the city of … Read more

Concern about the safety of law enforcement officers (LEOs) and their families has led the North Carolina General Assembly to consider, over the past several years, various proposals to protect from public disclosure personal information of LEOs and other officials … Read more

The City of Promiseland has been in discussions with a developer about a property just outside the city that is perfect for a small business center. The city is willing to extend water and sewer services to the property, and … Read more

In 2011, LexisNexis submitted a request under the North Carolina Public Records Act (Chapter 132 of the General Statutes) to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), and to the Wake County Clerk of Court for a complete copy of … Read more