House approves bill to shield economic development-related public records
House approves bill to shield economic development-related public records Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
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The Louisiana House of Representatives Approves Bill Allowing Concealment of Economic Development-Related Public Records
The proposal to allow local government officials to conceal economic development-related public records gained approval from the Louisiana House of Representatives on Thursday, Louisiana Illuminator reports.
House Bill 461
Sponsored by Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, House Bill 461 passed in a 79-18 vote and will now be considered by the Senate.
Confidentiality of Public Records
The bill allows a city mayor, parish president, or local government executive to declare any public record as confidential if they believe its release would have a “detrimental effect” on a business negotiation. Additionally, a company representative may request that certain documents be deemed confidential.
Publication of Notice
While the government entity would be required to publish a notice online about each negotiation, the notice does not have to include the name of the company, funding being negotiated, or the prospective project site location.
Duration of Confidentiality
The documents would become public record again when the local government declares that negotiations have concluded or after a two-year period.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The issue highlighted in the article is the proposal to allow local government officials to conceal economic development-related public records. This relates to SDG 16, which focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels
- Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
The article discusses a bill that allows local government officials to declare public records as confidential, which raises concerns about transparency and accountability. This relates to Target 16.6, which aims to develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels. Additionally, the bill’s impact on public access to information is relevant to Target 16.10, which focuses on ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 16.6.1: Proportion of the population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability, and population group
- Indicator 16.10.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory, and/or policy guarantees for public access to information
The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, to measure progress towards Target 16.6, an indicator could be the proportion of the population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability, and population group (Indicator 16.6.1). For Target 16.10, an indicator could be the number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory, and/or policy guarantees for public access to information (Indicator 16.10.2).
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels | Indicator 16.6.1: Proportion of the population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability, and population group |
| Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements | Indicator 16.10.2: Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory, and/or policy guarantees for public access to information |
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Source: businessreport.com
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