The state of Tennessee has taken a small step toward more transparency on the incentives it offers businesses to locate or expand in the state.

Last Monday, the Supreme Court prevented release of government spending data to a South Dakota newspaper, handing down a ruling that is expected to limit the public’s understanding of how tax dollars are spent in the private sector.

Earlier this year, we reported on an upcoming Supreme Court case, Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media, which some in the FOIA community feared might severely restrict the public’s ability to track the flow of tax dollars into private companies.

Today, SCOTUS passed down its ruling, and it appears those fears were justified.

Tennessee lawmakers recently shot down efforts to make more information about economic development deals public, fearing too much transparency could make the state less competitive.

As part of a survey being conducted my MuckRock, seven of the state’s 23 county sheriff departments have provided their contracts, offering additional looks into agreements by Turnkey, Telmate, and Securus, one of the country’s largest providers of inmate prison communication services.