DomeLight by Jim Zachary

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation protects your right to know, defends your First Amendment rights, protects free speech and advocates for government transparency.

GFAF is nonpartisan.

The work it does benefits all the people of Georgia, regardless of party affiliation or ideology.

The Foundation is not a media organization or a law firm though its leadership includes numerous First Amendment lawyers and journalists.

GFAF is a grassroots organization deserving wide support for the work it does to benefit the people of Georgia.

The Foundation has highlighted some of its work over the past couple of years that has included:

— supporting a reporter’s fight to make local government meetings properly accessible to the public.

— educating the public and elected officials on how to ensure public meetings remain open during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.

— calling for increased transparency around COVID-19 public health data.

— calling for greater transparency in law enforcement operations.

— encouraging police departments across Georgia to adopt Citizens’ Right to Record policies.

— collaborating with other nonprofits to develop transparency training for police officers in Georgia.

— advocating for strong public access to Georgia State-wide Business Court proceedings.

— partnering with other First Amendment advocates to provide resources for journalists covering protests.

— creating a how-to guide for journalists working during pandemic restrictions.

— publishing an updated, user-friendly citizen’s guide to Sunshine Laws in Georgia.

— taking the lead in calling for the Georgia attorney general to investigate the City of Atlanta for Sunshine Law violations, leading to the first criminal prosecution under Georgia’s Open Records Act.

— advocating in court to secure free speech protections in Georgia; expand public access to information about private entities performing functions for government and protect that expanded access; reinforce citizens’ right to record in public spaces; and empower government agencies to release public information otherwise exempted under the state Open Records Act.

— educating lawmakers and citizens on the hazards of transparency-reducing proposals, such as the creation of a state-backed board to investigate and oversee the media and all-party consent for recordings.

— working with First Amendment advocates and media organizations statewide to help usher through the Legislature a major expansion of free speech rights — the largest legislative gains in this area in two decades.

— protesting the detention of journalists covering issues of public interest.

— pushing for increased penalties for government entities that don’t allow access to public meetings, proceedings and records, as required by Georgia law.

— writing letters of inquiry to help Georgia citizens and journalists gain access to government meetings, court proceedings and public records.

— conducting in-person and virtual workshops to train citizens, public officials, law enforcement officers and journalists about Georgia’s free speech and Sunshine Laws.

Anyone can join the Foundation. You can also get your own copies of the GFAF Guide to Open Government, Guide to Court Access in Georgia and Guide to Law Enforcement Transparency. Learn more at gfaf.org. Information is power and the Georgia First Amendment Foundation has a lot of important information to share.

Jim Zachary is editor of The Valdosta Daily Times, CNHI’s director of newsroom training and development and president emeritus of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation.