The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Florida Public Records law" ...
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Sun Sentinel: Speeding Cops
A Miami cop in his marked patrol car set off a public fury in the fall of 2011 when a Florida state trooper clocked him going 120 mph to an off-duty job. Turning to technology and a never-before used tool – highway toll records – the Sun Sentinel produced back-to-back investigations documenting widespread police misconduct and the professional solidarity that allowed it to flourish. In "Above the Law," a three-part series published in February, reporters used police toll records to confirm what many South Florida drivers had witnessed for years: cops were among the worst speeders on the roads, taking advantage of the badge and patrol car to ignore the very laws they enforce. "Short Shifted," a two-part series published in December, used those same toll records to detail how many South Florida cops, paid to serve and protect, were regularly leaving their beats and cities before their shifts ended.
Tags: Police; police speeders
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Do you know when and where your City Council is meeting?
"The report investigated how well Jacksonville City Council members followed Florida's Sunshine Law, which requires public officials to provide advance notice and access to meetings of two or more officials from the same board and commission. After the meeting, someone must record written minutes of the session." However in Jacksonville "dozen of meetings about public business [were] held without public notice or written minutes and several meetings that took place in private locations, which violated the city's ethics code and numerous Florida Attorney General opinions."
Tags: sunshine law; city council; Florida; editorials
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Hidden Dockets/ Secret Cases
In Florida hundreds of state cases have been hidden from the public for decades. "These cases included the divorces of politicians, judges, lawyers and businessmen, and the criminal cases of informants. Judges failed to obey public access law when sealing off those cases. In Miami, judges and prosecutors Miami also falsified public criminal court records, violating a state criminal statute and covering up evidence of embarrassing public corruption and an unsolved murder."
Tags: court; criminal cases; divorce; judges; murder; public access law; sealed cases; Miami; Florida
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How Developers Cash in on Farmland; Law Fails to Save Florida Farmland; Appraisers Lax in Tax Break Scrutiny
The authors examined Florida's "Greenbelt" law, which is designed to help farmers stay in business. The authors found, though, that the law is ineffective and ends up costing local governments a lot of money. Developers use the law as a tax break, and consequently the law is "one of the weakest preservation programs in the nation."
Tags: developers; farm property; public records; FOIA; tax breaks; local government; farmers
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Dying to be Beautiful
This investigation looks at how Florida's Department of Health and Board of Medicine rarely disciplines cosmetic surgeons whose botched procedures are responsible for the deaths of their patients. One particular doctor settled out of court for several malpractice cases, botched numerous procedures, and was responsible for the death of one of his patients. However, despite complaints, the Department of Health and Board of Medicine did nothing to him or his practice. As a result of this investigation, the doctor in question had his license immediately suspended and a criminal investigation followed.
Tags: cosmetic surgery; Department of Health and Board of Medicine; patient death; medical malpractice; HIPAA; Florida Public Records law
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Revolving door for fired workers
This series investigates private contractors in Florida who hire counselors fired from similar jobs for inappropriate behavior. The reporters found that the these counselors had a history of abusing juveniles they were hired to protect. Using public records laws, the reporters collected information on the staff members working with each of the 40 private contractors. The juvenile justice agency is presently investigating the problems that were exposed.
Tags: FOIA; private contractors in Florida; private contractors for juvenile homes; juvenile justice; public records laws in Florida; juvenile justice in Florida
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Access Denied
Reporters for 29 newspapers in Florida began auditing more than 200 local agencies and found that public officials did not understand or simply ignored the public records law. Reporters who posed as civilians were denied access to any public records by more than 40 percent of the agencies audited.
Tags: Public records; public records in Florida; local government agencies; auditing local government agencies
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Armed and Dangerous
WKMG found the State of Florida issuing concealed weapons permits to people who were prohibited by Federal and state law from even possessing guns because they were involuntarily committed by judges to mental institutions or drug-and-alcohol-treatment centers. The politically potent National Rifle Association and its allies have stifled any discussion in Florida about using public records to check on the mental health of the gun buyers. They claim the information is private, but this investigation shows how easily it could be done--if wanted to. This tape also looks at cases of mentally ill patients who have walked into public places like churches and opened fire to kill people.
Tags: TAPE; gun; National Rifle Association; NRA; mental; Florida; weapon; concealed weapon; permit; judge; mental institution; drug treatment; alcohol treatment; public records; mental health; gun buyer; privacy; concealed weapon permit; drug and alcohol treatment; psychotic disorder; concealed weapon permit holder; concealed weapon permit program; US Marshall Service; kill; concealed firearm; scheme; mental health record; health record; Florida legislature; gun control law; mentally ill; killing
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Access Denied
The Trib sets out to test how government employees around the state were handling public records request made by citizens. They discover that bureaucrats have largely rendered meaningless, one of the strongest public record laws in the nation. Forty-three percent of the agencies audited violated the records law in some way. Also, public employees tried to force reporters, who were posing as citizens, to reveal personal information or explain why they wanted the records.
Tags: Chris Davis; Matt Doig; First Amendment Foundation; FAF; Florida Press Association; Bob Ford; Welaka; Mayor Gordon Sands
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Firefighters Foundation Investigation
News 12 reports on a firefighters foundation in New Jersey that ostensibly raised money to help the families of firefighters and police officers who died while on duty. In fact, most of the donations went to out-of-state telemarketers, as the public did not know that the foundation's founder was under investigation in Florida for questionable fund-raising practices. The findings were based on electronic data form the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; NJ Open Records Law; nonprofits; fund-raising; databases