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Officials from the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office will answer questions about the state's Open Records and Meeting laws during a series of workshops this fall and winter.
The workshops are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.
Each will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The first is Sept. 27 in Lawton at the Great Plains Technology Center (Seminar Room 301, Building 300, Worley Seminar Center, 24500 W. Lee Blvd.).
The workshops are sponsored by Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma Press Association and Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation.
For more information, contact Lisa Potts at OPA, (405) 499-0040, toll-free in Oklahoma at 1-888-815-2672 or lpotts@okpress.com.
The rest of the seminars are scheduled for:
- Oct. 18: Weatherford: Stafford Air & Space Museum, Apollo Room, 3000 Logan Road
- Oct. 25: Oklahoma City: Metro Tech Conference Center, Auditorium, 1900 Springlake Drive
- Nov. 29: McAlester: Kiamichi Technology Center, Auditorium, 301 Kiamichi Drive
- Dec. 6: Tulsa: Tulsa Technology Center - Riverside Campus, Auditorium, 801 E. 91st St.
- Dec. 13: Enid: Autry Technology Center, 22 Lectrium, 1201 W. Willow Road
The workshops will be conducted by First Assistant Attorney General Rob Hudson and Communications Director Diane Clay.
They will explain the statutory requirements regarding access to public records and the conduct of public meetings, as well as answer FOI-related questions.
Attorneys, technology center board members, and school board members and superintendents can earn three continuing education credits from the Oklahoma Bar Association, Department of Career and Technology Education, and Department of Education, respectively.
Joey Senat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications
Have questions or concerns about Oklahoma's Open Meeting and Records laws?
You can ask First Assistant Attorney General Rob Hudson during a statewide series of seminars on the state's freedom of information laws.
Hudson will answer FOI-related questions and explain the requirements on access to public records and the conduct of public meetings.
The seminars are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.
Each will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The first is Sept. 26 at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center, 2610 Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore.
The workshops are sponsored by Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma Press Association, Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation and FOI Oklahoma Inc.
For more information, contact Lisa at OPA, (405) 499-0040, toll-free in Oklahoma at 1-888-815-2672 or lpotts@okpress.com.
The rest of the seminars are scheduled for:
- Oct. 17: Bedouin Shrine, 201 Sixth St., Muskogee.
- Nov. 7: Metro Technology Center, Conference Center Auditorium, 1900 Springlake Drive, Oklahoma City.
- Nov. 14: High Plains Technology Center, Seminar Center, 3921 34th St., Woodward.
- Dec. 5: Tulsa Technology Center-Riverside, 801 E. 91st St., Tulsa.
- Dec. 12: Great Plains Technology Center, 4500 W. Lee Blvd., Lawton.
Joey Senat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications
The only announced Democratic candidate for attorney general has pledged “to support at every opportunity" the inherent right of Oklahomans "to know and be fully informed about their government."
Jim Priest also promised that the attorney general's office would "comply with not only the letter but also the spirit of Oklahoma's Open Meeting and Open Records laws” if he is elected.
Ryan Leonard, an announced Republican candidate for the attorney general's office, signed FOI Oklahoma Inc.'s Open Government Pledge in January.
Priest has practiced law for 30 years and is an ordained deacon in the Church of the Nazarene.
On Saturday, Priest said he would continue current Attorney General Drew Edmondson’s open meeting and records seminars across the state. (Edmondson, a Democrat, is running for governor, not re-election as attorney general.)
Priest also said he would work to strengthen Oklahoma's laws to limit Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. So-called SLAPPs are "retaliatory lawsuits intended to silence, intimidate, or punish those who have used public forums to speak, petition, or otherwise move for government action on an issue." (West's Encyclopedia of American Law)
Oklahoma students also should receive more education on open government, Priest told FOI Oklahoma Inc.'s third-annual Sunshine Week conference.
Freedom of Information Oklahoma Inc. invites other candidates for statewide offices and those running for legislative seats to sign the pledge.
Instructions and a list of signers for the 2010 elections can be found on FOI Oklahoma’s Web site.
FOI Oklahoma began the Open Government Pledge in spring 2008 as part of the national Sunshine Week effort to spur public commitments to government transparency from candidates for president down to city council contests.
Joey Senat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
OSU School of Journalism
