Regulations on Public Information by the Government Council and the Administration (Information Regulations, InfoR) (Informationsreglement, InfoR) - Principle (InfoR)

1. The public shall be informed about the intentions, decisions, and measures of the government council as well as the work of the cantonal administration, insofar as there is a general interest in such information.

1. The activity of providing information is limited by

1. conflicting public interests;

2. legitimate private interests, particularly the protection of privacy;

3. the obligation of confidentiality.

1. Potential recipients of information are journalists who work for an information medium (newspaper, agency, press service, radio, television, etc.) and regularly report on the activities of the executive council and the cantonal administration.

1. The State Chancellery maintains the register of accredited information recipients.

2. It decides on the inclusion or removal of individual information recipients.

1. The request for accreditation must be submitted in writing to the State Chancellery by the employer or editor-in-chief; journalists without a fixed employer must submit the request themselves.

2. In addition to personal details, the request must contain information necessary for verifying the requirements specified in § 3.

3. For information recipients who change their employer after accreditation, a new request must be submitted.

1. An accredited information recipient who no longer fulfills the requirements mentioned in § 3 must inform the State Chancellery of this.

2. The State Chancellery revokes the accreditation if an information recipient no longer meets the requirements specified in § 3.

1. The accredited information recipients are entitled to the following rights

1. Participation in all events, such as press conferences, tours, etc., conducted for them by the Government Council, a Directorate, or the State Chancellery;

2. Complimentary access to documents provided to them by the Government Council, a Directorate, or the State Chancellery;

3. Complimentary use of the telephone in the booth next to the Council Chamber when reports must be sent during sessions;

4. Receipt of a card, which entitles the holder to access the designated assembly area during the assembly session.

1. If an accredited information recipient disseminates confidential or secret information, which has been marked as such to them, through an information medium, the State Chancellery may revoke their accreditation and remove them from the list of accredited information recipients.

2. The same applies if

1. Information with an embargo is disseminated in an information medium before the expiry of the embargo;

2. Information is obtained through circumvention of the provisions of these regulations;

3. Received information is used abusively or to the detriment of legitimate private interests;

4. The obligation to report the truth is intentionally or grossly negligently violated;

5. The obligation to correct is not fulfilled.

3. In less severe cases, a warning or temporary suspension may be issued.

4. The information recipient against whom a measure is to be taken is entitled to a right to be heard.

1. The State Chancellery is responsible for the information service of the Government Council.

2. It is specifically tasked and authorized to

1. deliver the documents and proposals of the Government Council to the Cantonal Council recipients, subject to the restrictive provisions in the legislation;

2. issue written communications regarding the deliberations of the Government Council in compliance with the provisions of § 1 and § 2;

3. with the consent of the Government Council or the respective departmental head, deliver statements, resolutions, and any additional documents to the information recipients;

4. provide information or refer to the competent department regarding the communications and documents as mentioned in points 2 and 3.

1. The State Chancellery coordinates the delivery of informational materials from the cantonal administration.

2. Written informational materials from the directorates and offices are generally to be submitted to the State Chancellery for onward transmission to the recipients of information; in special cases, the State Chancellery may provide the list of accredited recipients of information to the directorates for direct delivery of the materials.

1. In areas where the directorates can make decisions within their own competence, the head of the directorate determines whether and what information about such decisions is to be provided.

2. The provision of information by employees of a directorate requires the consent of the head of the directorate in all cases.

**1. On the Conduct of Press Conferences and Inspections**

The executive council decides on the conduct of press conferences and inspections for recipients of information; it can delegate the conduct of such events to individual directorates.

**2. Invitation to Press Conferences and Inspections**

Non-accredited recipients of information may also be invited to press conferences and inspections.

1. The Government Council organizes an annual press conference with the accredited information recipients.

2. This primarily serves as a joint discussion regarding pending informational issues.

1. Information on request is provided only to the inquirer; it may be required that the inquiry be submitted in writing to the information office.

2. For inquiries, it must be examined in each case whether, with regard to the public interest, the importance of the matter, or the principle of simultaneous information, a general communication in the sense of § 10 para. 2 no. 2 or § 11 para. 2 is appropriate.

1. Before providing oral information in response to a request, the information office must, if necessary, ascertain the name and address of an unknown inquirer as well as the information medium on whose behalf they are acting.

1. This regulation shall enter into force on May 1, 1980.

2. It shall be published in the Official Gazette and included in the compendium of laws.