"The enforcement provisions and other aspects of this act will have a substantial chilling affect on the activities and decision making of governmental bodies," the newsletter said.

That sounds sort of scary, doesn't it? The thing is, although the spin will be against the media, is that the PUBLIC needs to have the right for information involving government and companies that work for the government.

The bill also would clarify rules for when and how governments can hold a closed meeting, how notice of meetings should be given and what activities constitute an official meeting.

The open government coalition was created in 2003 to protect and improve Tennessee's public access laws. Members include the Tennessee Press Association, the state's major daily newspapers, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, The Associated Press and Common Cause of Tennessee.

The group found 115 alleged violations between January 2003 and October 2005, including an average of one a week for the first 10 months of last year.