A new nonprofit is focused on helping Idaho journalists fight for government transparency.
The Idaho First Amendment Alliance, established this year, aims to provide funding for trainings, workshops and court fees for Idaho journalists challenging a public agency’s lack of transparency.
Melissa Davlin, Idaho Reports lead producer and Idaho Press Club president, launched the nonprofit.
She told the Idaho Capital Sun the organization will show Idaho journalists are “serious about government transparency,” particularly when a public agency does not comply with Idaho law.
In the last five years, the Idaho Press Club has successfully sued government agencies twice for refusing to provide public records, she said, and both lawsuits took a lot of resources and time.
Davlin said her goal is not to take agencies to court, but to help journalists bring transparency to the public.
