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Non-profit launches to help with public information requests in Montana – Daily Montanan [1]

['Daily Montanan Staff', 'More From Author', '- January']

Date: 2024-01 

A newly launched non-profit hopes to assist the public in making information requests, make some of their own and be a “right to know” educational resource in Montana.

The Montana Transparency Project, launched earlier this month, is nonpartisan and founded to help keep track of public information requests as well as educate local officials on the Montana Constitution’s Right to Know.

“Making the right to know more accessible to Montanans will foster a more responsive and open government that will better serve the needs of our state,” said organization president and Harvard Law student Jacob Linfesty in a statement last week. “We know that this is an area where we can make a real difference by serving everyday Montanans who want to get involved, but aren’t sure how.”

The organization plans to collaborate with the existing Freedom of Information Act Hotline in the state to join efforts towards furthering government transparency. Hotline Chairwoman Melody Martinsen said in a statement the project will “complement” the existing free services from specialist Peter “Mike” Meloy at the hotline.

“MTP will provide another option for citizens, particularly, to receive free, non-attorney assistance in filing requests for public documents, which can be confusing and frustrating for people new to the process,” Martinsen said. “The Montana FOI Hotline and MTP plan to collaborate on public education efforts during 2024. Together, the two organizations have the capacity to work proactively to educate citizens about their rights under Montana’s Constitution.”

Co-founders of the organization, Linfesty, Vice President Lydia Dal Nogare and Treasurer Caroline Bullock, daughter of former Democrat Governor Steve Bullock, decided to form this organization last summer after all three commiserate after finding the right-to-know process “convoluted” and “at times frustratingly ineffective.”

“They envisioned an organization that could help walk people through the request process, assist with follow-ups and even submit requests on its own behalf,” a press release said.

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[1] Url: https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/non-profit-launches-to-help-with-public-information-requests-in-montana/

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