Date:         Wed, 24 May 1995 11:13:45 -0400
Sender: State and Local Freedom of Information Issues <FO...@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
From: Joel Campbell <campbell....@OSU.EDU>

Freedom-of-Information (FOI) Hotlines
Good sources of information about state and federal meeting and records
access laws. Some hotlines also provide help in convincing government
officials to open meetings and records. Many of the hotlines listed are
restricted to journalists.

Compiled from information provided by FOI-L participants, Quill October
1994, Please post any corrections or additions to campbell....@osu.edu .


U.S. National

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
 1-800-336-4243
(24 hours; emergency only after regular business hours)
Their new address is 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22209.

Student Press Law Center
(202) 466-5242

Freedom of Information Center, University of Missouri
(314) 882-4856
Hours:  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., M-F (CST)  We have an answering
machine and will return calls during normal hours of operation.
Who can use:  Anyone--not restricted to journalists--but no
collect calls will be accepted.
Contact:    Kathleen Edwards, jou...@muccmail.missouri.edu


Canadian National
Canadian Federal Government

The Information Commissioner of Canada    AND
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada
112 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 1H3
(613) 995-2410
1-800-267-0441
No restrictions on who may use it...open from 8:30am to 4:30pm.  There
are many publications available to the public as well.

Province of Ontario - Freedom of Information and Privacy Commissioner
80 Bloor Street West, Suite 1700
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

States

Arizona First Amendment Coalition
(602) 351-8000

California First Amendment Coalition Actionline
(916) 447-2322
(916) 485-2912 (after hours and weekends)

Colorado Freedom of Information Council
(303) 623-7070

Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information
(203) 584-0501

Florida First Amendment Foundation Hotline
(904) 222-3518

Georgia Press Association
(706) 722-4481

Hoosier State Press Association (Indiana)
(317) 637-3966

Illinois Press Association
(217) 523-5092

Iowa
Iowa has three working hotlines, but all are for journalists only and are
only open during business hours.
Iowa Newspaper Association 1-515-281-3100
Iowa Broadcasters Association 1-515-288-2500
Iowa Freedom of Information Council 1-515-271-3083

Kansas Press Association
(913) 271-5304

Kentucky Press Association
(502) 589-5235

Massachusetts Newspaper Association
(508) 465-7539

Minnesota FOI Hotline Inc.
(612) 827-5611

Michigan FOI Committee
(313) 577-8379

Montana FOI Hotline Inc.
(406) 442-3261

Nevada (Evan Wallach, attorney)
(702) 383-8832

New Jersey SPJ Pro Chapter Hotline
1-800-813-9498

New Mexico Foundation for Open Government
1-800-283-6634

North Carolina Press Association
(919) 833-3833

Ohio Newspaper Association
(614) 486-6677

Oklahoma Press Association
(405) 524-4421

Pennsylvania First Amendment Coalition
(717) 234-4067 ext 222 or 224

South Carolina Press Association
(803) 254-1607

South Dakota Newspaper Association
(605) 335-0083

FOI Foundation of Texas
1(800) 580-6651 in Texas
(214) 977-6651 outside of Texas
What are the Hours: 24 hours a day
Who can use it: Anyone

Utah FOI Hotline
1-800-574-4546
1-801 532-7840 (out of state)
Sponsor of Hotline: Utah Headliners Chapter-SPJ and Kimball, Parr,
Waddoups, Brown and Gee.
Who can use it: Any journalist including student journalists and
freelances. Citizens with extraordinary circumstances may also be referred.

Virginia Press Association
(804) 550-2361

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Hotline
 800/362-2664 (in Wis.) or
 608/257-3911 (out of state)
Sponsor  Wisconsin Newspaper Association
Hours: 7 a.m.-8 p.m. CT
Who can use it: Print and Broadcast Journalists

Wyoming FOI Hotline
(307) 265-3455

State Government Groups

Connecticut FOI Commission
(203) 566-5682

Massachusetts Public Records Division
(617) 727-2832

New York Committee on Open Government
(518) 474-2518

Texas Attorney General's Open Government Hotline
(512) 478-6736

Joel Campbell
campbell....@osu.edu
Ohio State University
211k,School of Journalism,
Tel: 614-292-6291