A new Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity survey on state government transparency and accountability is out, and Iowa did not fare well in the State Integrity Investigation.
Iowa earned a D+ overall on the survey, including two failing grades in categories looking at lobbying regulations and accountability in the judicial branch. However, Iowa’s score on access to public information improved from the last time the survey was conducted, rising from an F to a C-. The change is largely due to the implementation of the Iowa Public Information Board.
“It absolutely has changed the landscape for open records and open meetings issues in a positive way,” said Chris Mudge, executive director of the Iowa Newspaper Association. “The public has a place to go to get answers to questions, to get resolutions to concerns in a relatively easy, quick manner and ultimately can challenge something if they feel the need to do so.”
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