Office of Open Records
Bucks must release attendance records
December 24, 2009 |
The County must comply with a Right-to-Know
request for employee attendance records, the
state Office of Open Records has ruled. The
Pennsylvania Office of Open Records ruled this
week that Bucks County must make public
attendance records of county employees who swipe
their identification cards to enter the
courthouse.
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I: Reach of new Pa. FOI law gets tested in first year
December 21, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A wealth of information
about the actions and decisions of Pennsylvania
public officials has been pried loose in the year
since a broad expansion of the state's
Right-to-Know Law took effect. There are signs,
including a recent spot check of government
agencies, that the state is shedding its
long-standing reputation as a public-access
backwater. Read
More...
Opinion: New state rules helping to open up records
December 20, 2009 |
Reporters across the state put Pennsylvania's
nearly year-old open records law to the test
recently in a fun but eye-opening project
spearheaded by The Associated Press. Read
More...
Opinion: Citizen watchdogs make most of Right to Know Law
December 12, 2009 |
We sometimes get asked what the average man or
woman can do to impact government and encourage
reform. On cynical days, it’s easy to feel
helpless against “the establishment.”
Besides voting (or running for office yourself), one of the best ways to get active in Pennsylvania is to take advantage of the state’s Right to Know Law. Read More...
Besides voting (or running for office yourself), one of the best ways to get active in Pennsylvania is to take advantage of the state’s Right to Know Law. Read More...
Open records funding boosted
December 09, 2009 |
Despite a belated state budget that included
numerous funding cuts, the state Office of Open
Records has been given a significant funding
increase. State Rep. Timothy S. Mahoney, D-South
Union Township, who spearheaded passage of the
new open records law that took effect on Jan. 1,
said the important office received a $240,000
increase in funding under the current budget,
boosting the office's allocation to $1.25
million. Read
More...
Attorney: Sewer bill secrets ‘alarming’
December 05, 2009 |
SHARON —The legal fight put up by the Sharon
Sanitary Authority to keep a Herald reporter from
reviewing delinquent sewer accounts is “alarming
and unreasonable,” Herald attorney William G.
McConnell said in a document recently filed in
Mercer County Common Pleas Court. Read
More...
New Pa. records office running at hectic pace
November 29, 2009 |
Terry Mutchler, executive director of the state
Office of Open Records, has a quick response when
asked how things are going. " 'Busy' is the short
answer," Ms. Mutchler said last week. "We're just
overwhelmed."
Ms. Mutchler and her nine-member staff routinely work 12-hour days or longer to keep pace with a flood of paperwork.
To date, they have processed 1,006 appeals, conducted 300 training sessions around the state on the new Right-to-Know Law and fielded more than 5,000 e-mail and telephone inquiries. Read More...
Ms. Mutchler and her nine-member staff routinely work 12-hour days or longer to keep pace with a flood of paperwork.
To date, they have processed 1,006 appeals, conducted 300 training sessions around the state on the new Right-to-Know Law and fielded more than 5,000 e-mail and telephone inquiries. Read More...
State's records law hailed as step forward
November 29, 2009 |
Until this year, Pennsylvania's open-records law
had an abysmal reputation.
But on Jan. 1, a revised Right-to-Know Law took effect. Eleven days later, the state's newly created, independent Office of Open Records began refereeing its first dispute between the public and a government agency.
Now, Mr. Davis said, as the one-year anniversary approaches, Pennsylvania's open-records law "easily" ranks in the top third across the nation -- what he called a "signal improvement."
Read More...
But on Jan. 1, a revised Right-to-Know Law took effect. Eleven days later, the state's newly created, independent Office of Open Records began refereeing its first dispute between the public and a government agency.
Now, Mr. Davis said, as the one-year anniversary approaches, Pennsylvania's open-records law "easily" ranks in the top third across the nation -- what he called a "signal improvement."
Read More...
Monroe Co. judge overturns two open records rulings
October 16, 2009 |
A Monroe County judge overturned two rulings made
by the state's new Office of Open Records, which
will keep information about the paychecks of
public employees and pre-meeting materials out of
view. Read
More...
Dunmore loses appeal in open-records case
October 02, 2009 |
The state Office of Open Records has ruled a
Dunmore councilwoman must turn over e-mail
correspondence between herself and other council
members regarding the former borough manager.
Read
More...
Opinion: Right to Know and the constitutional right to privacy
September 23, 2009 |
Last month, when the Commonwealth Court issued
its first published opinion addressing
Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law, it shone a
bright light on a long-standing issue: the
inherent tension between the public's right to
access government records and a person's interest
in the privacy of information that the government
possesses about him. The Commonwealth Court's
recent opinion, Pennsylvania State Education
Association v. Commonwealth, further muddles the
privacy question and, unless corrected, stands to
cause an array of additional problems.
Read
More...
New Pa. public-records law: lots of requests ... & lawsuits
September 16, 2009 |
Since the beginning of the year, a new
Pennsylvania law on public records has been
sending tremors through state and local
governments. Unprecedented numbers of citizens,
civic groups, reporters and businesses have filed
thousands of requests for government documents
and data. Now come the aftershocks: Dozens of
public-record lawsuits are piling up in
courthouses around the state, waiting for judges
to spit out rulings on what the law really means.
Read
More...
Lackawanna Court upholds Office of Open Records decision
September 10, 2009 |
In a September 9, 2009 memorandum and order,
Judge Terrence R. Nealon of the Lackawanna County
Court of Common Pleas ruled that unsuccessful
bids in the possession of a government contractor
are public records. The decision is the first one
in which a court has considered the obligations
of government contractors under the new Right to
Know Law. Read
More...
Open-records office withdraws from Luzerne Co. case
September 07, 2009 |
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records has
withdrawn from a court case appealing its own
ruling that Luzerne County must disclose who gets
health-care benefits from the county.
Read
More...
York Twp. commissioners must turn over emails
August 31, 2009 |
For the second time in two months, two York
Township commissioners have been ordered to hand
over e-mails concerning township business that
were sent from or received by their home
computers. Read
More...
Opinion: Your access to information is under attack
July 31, 2009 |
We are just past halfway through the first year
of Pennsylvania’s new Open Records Law and the
public’s access to information is again under
siege. Read
More...
OOR stays release of home addresses of public employees
July 30, 2009 |
The Office of Open Records will issue no final
determinations ordering the release of public
employee home addresses, pending resolution of a
petition made by the Pennsylvania State Education
Association by the Commonwealth Court .
Read
More...
Release of Pa. school employees' addresses halted
July 29, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state appellate court
judge has ordered a temporary halt to releasing
school district employees' home addresses listed
on records requests made under Pennsylvania's new
Right-to-Know Law. Read
More...
Judge sides with school union in public-records case
July 29, 2009 |
The union representing most public school
employees in Pennsylvania yesterday won a
temporary injunction in Commonwealth Court to
shield the home addresses of all public-school
employees under the new open-records law.
Read
More...
Open records office says budget cuts would set it back
July 25, 2009 |
The state's new Office of Open Records is on pace
to see about 1,000 open records denial appeals
this year. More appeals are expected to be filed
next year, as people become more familiar with
the law, said Barry Fox, deputy director of the
open records office. But it's looking like the
office is going to have its $1.3 million budget
request cut by about $335,000, something that Fox
says will hurt the ability of the new agency to
fulfill its mission. Read
More...
Volunteer fire, ambulance squads seek exemption from disclosure law
July 24, 2009 |
Volunteer fire and ambulance organizations are
making a strong push for relief from
Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law, a movement that
is getting support in the state Legislature and
drawing criticism from open records advocates.
Read
More...
Budget cuts threaten disclosure
July 22, 2009 |
HARRISBURG -- The ability of two oversight
agencies to carry out their mandates is
threatened by state budget cuts, a watchdog group
says. Pennsylvania Common Cause is urging the
governor and lawmakers to maintain funding for
the Office of Open Records and the state Ethics
Commission at previous year levels.
Read
More...
Opinion: Budget cuts would gut commitment to open government
July 21, 2009 |
All is not well at Pennsylvania's new Office of
Open Records. Speaking as its first executive
director, I find that a difficult but necessary
truth to express. I am asking citizens and other
open-government advocates for help. We are at a
crossroads and citizens should have an accurate
and honest picture of what's happening with this
aspect of their government.
Read More...
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Bracing start for state's Office of Open Records
July 06, 2009 |
One irony about Pennsylvania's Office of Open
Records: It's weirdly difficult to find. The new
state agency charged with resolving disputes over
government transparency is at the end of a long
and dim hallway in a building across the street
from the Capitol. The only indication the office
exists is a small sign at the hallway's entrance.
Inside the Office of Open Records, however,
another irony: Sunlight streams through large
windows that take up most of one wall. It is hard
to imagine a more vivid metaphor for the
challenges facing the office and Terry Mutchler,
its first executive director. Read
More...
Open-records chief pleads for more money
June 30, 2009 |
The director of the state's Office of Open
Records is working to avoid what she contends
would be a chilling cut to her new office's
budget. Read
More...
Charter school appeals to block release of records
June 11, 2009 |
The Chester Community Charter School has filed a
court appeal to a recent Pennsylvania Office of
Open Records ruling that gave The Inquirer access
to a wide range of financial records from the
management company that operates the school.
Read
More...
Pa.'s new Right-To-Know law hits some snags
May 05, 2009 |
No one said implementing Pennsylvania's new
Right-To-Know Law was going to be easy. There
have been some problems in the four months since
the law took effect. Read
More...
Public officials' e-mail open - but you can't always see it
May 02, 2009 |
A state open records request has York Township
looking into options for how e-mails are received
and sent by its commissioners, because some
e-mails may be in a private company's files and
are not open to public review. Read
More...
Pa. backs New Era on autopsy reports
April 21, 2009 |
The state has ruled that Lancaster County must
supply autopsy records in two cases to the
Lancaster New Era. In addition, the Pennsylvania
Office of Open Records has admonished the county
for not complying with the state's Right to Know
law when it rejected the newspaper's request.
Read More...
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Pennsylvania's open records law sets barriers
April 21, 2009 |
Pennsylvania's updated open records law was
supposed to start an era of transparency Jan. 1,
but it has raised troubling issues along the way.
Read
More...
Opinion: Sun still not shining in state Capitol
April 19, 2009 |
This was supposed to be a year of sunlight in
Harrisburg, with the new open-records law taking
effect and a state open-records czar and her
staff working to make sure citizens have access
to their government. But a funny thing has
happened in the Keystone state, leaving us
wondering whether there’s been any difference in
the same old, same old way of operating at the
state Capitol. Read
More...
Opinion: A foot in the door
April 18, 2009 |
Pennsylvania's new open-records law has been
anything but open since it took effect in
January. And the blame starts at the top.
Read
More...
Opinion: Records czar out of loop
April 14, 2009 |
Unfortunately, secrecy is standard operating
procedure in Pennsylvania government. It's a bad
habit that you can't quit just by signing a bill.
You have to go cold turkey and actually quit
being secretive. Read
More...
Opinion: Records dichotomy
April 14, 2009 |
The executive director of the Pennsylvania Office
of Open Records complains that the Rendell
administration is throwing up roadblocks to
greater transparency. But Terry Mutchler might
want to review her own office's record.
Read
More...
Opinion: Records law applies to all levels of government
April 13, 2009 |
At best, Gov. Rendell's insistence upon written
open records communications amounts to an
unnecessary increase in bureaucratic
inefficiency. At worst, it indicates heel-digging
resistance to a progressive new law signed by
Rendell himself. Read
More...
DEP challenges records ruling
April 10, 2009 |
The state's new Office of Open Records has been
open four months and already it has received 278
requests for help in resolving disputes over what
constitutes a government record. So far, the
office has issued decisions in 75 of those
disputes involving such entities as fire
companies, school districts, parking authorities
and two dozen state agencies. Three of those
decisions were appealed to county courts. One
recent decision could become one of the first
court tests of the revised Right to Know Law and
could be of interest to anyone who doesn't want
to travel far to review government records.
Read
More...
Pa.'s public-records czar faults Rendell on openness
April 10, 2009 |
HARRISBURG — The Rendell administration appears
to be going out of its way to block public access
to government documents. At least that is the
impression left on the state's new open-records
czar. Read
More...
Opinion: If requested, state should mail documents
April 10, 2009 |
The intent of Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law is
clear: Public information should be available to
the public in a timely fashion. But already we
have a legal challenge on what exactly
"available" means. Read
More...
Opinion: OOR decision on 'draft' policy disappointing
April 07, 2009 |
In a disappointing decision, on March 23, 2009,
the Office of Open Records found that a draft
policy that was distributed to a school board for
deliberation at a public meeting – and approved
at that meeting – was not a public record.
Read
More...
Pa. newspaper group blasts open-records ruling
April 03, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Newspaper
Association has sharply criticized the state Open
Records Office for a ruling that the group says
would allow school boards and other agencies to
conduct more public business behind closed doors.
Read
More...
Opinion: Office of Open Records issues damaging decision
April 02, 2009 |
The Office of Open Records (OOR) has dealt a blow
to open government, apparently finding that a
budget discussion among a quorum of a school
board was not "deliberation" for Right to Know
Law purposes because it was, in the words of the
OOR, an "informal" discussion. If this decision
stands, it could have terrible repercussions for
the public's right to know. Read
More...
Office of Open Records: No fees for emailing electronic records
March 26, 2009 |
The Office of Open Records says agencies may not
charge per-page duplication fees when emailing
records that already exist in electronic format.
Read
More...
Citizens are driving open government
March 18, 2009 |
A seismic shift in open government rocked the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at midnight on Jan.
1, 2009, and I am happy to report that the
Keystone State has not yet crumbled, or even
cracked, because of it. Read
More...
Public records advocate: In Pa., a 'new era of openness'
March 14, 2009 |
The York Daily Record/Sunday News asked Kim de
Bourbon, executive director of the Pennsylvania
Freedom of Information Coalition, some questions
about the state's new open records law, which is
2½ months old. Read
More...
PNA Legal: Questions for the Office of Open Records
March 11, 2009 |
Yesterday, we wrote about some of the early
decisions of the Office of
Open Records (OOR). We are continuing
that discussion today, raising some of our
questions and concerns about the first group
of decisions. Read
More...
PNA Legal: Our thoughts on the first decisions of the Office of Open Records
March 10, 2009 |
After reviewing the first “Final Determinations”
issued by the Office of Open Records (OOR), we
see some lessons in them for requesters and
agencies. Not surprisingly, the decisions also
raise some questions and concerns. Here are our
thoughts on the first round of decisions.
Read
More...
Open-records law fuels spats with municipalities
March 02, 2009 |
Every community has one: the gadfly, the
complainer, the curmudgeon. They are there to
keep local government honest, with help from the
state's new Right to Know Law that took effect in
January. But some municipalities are starting to
complain that the law is miring them in paper
work and creating logistical and financial
headaches. Read
More...
THE WATCHDOG: New records law opening up access
March 01, 2009 |
Early evidence shows Pennsylvania's new Right to
Know Law is doing what it's designed to, giving
the public more access to records that show how
governments are behaving and spending tax money.
Read
More...
Records appeal turned down
February 25, 2009 |
The Office of Open Records denied a borough
resident's request for records of inspections of
two privately owned properties. The office also
rejected an appeal from Quakertown School
District Read
More...
Ruling: Government employee birth dates are public records in Pa.
February 24, 2009 |
The new state Office of Open Records ruled on six
appeals, offering access to government employee
dates of birth, names of government contractor
employees and school board committee reports.
Read
More...
Pa. open-records office: birth dates are public
February 24, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Names of employees of
government contractors and birth dates of
government employees are public information, the
state Office of Open Records has ruled in some of
the first appeals under Pennsylvania's new
Right-to-Know Law. Read
More...
THE WATCHDOG: Public has right to hear tapes of meetings
February 22, 2009 |
The ruling is in. You're entitled to listen to
tapes of your elected officials' public meetings.
But ask quickly, because those tapes don't have
to be kept for long. Read
More...
Office of Open Record says recordings of meetings are public record
February 19, 2009 |
The Office of Open Records has issued an Advisory
Opinion stating that tape recordings made by a
board secretary for the purpose of writing
minutes are to be considered public record.
Read
More...
State responds to Shrewsbury Twp. record request
February 14, 2009 |
The state Office of Open Records sent a
letter to Shrewsbury Township regarding
an open record appeal filed by a resident.
Read
More...
Shrewsbury Twp. couple among first to file right-to-know appeal
February 07, 2009 |
When Linda and Kurt Kurzmiller arrived Jan. 15 at
the state's new open records office in
Harrisburg, it was still under construction.
Workers were filing in and out of the North
Street building. There wasn't a sign outside to
direct them where to go. But they made it to the
office. Read
More...
Appeals show what right-to-know requests are being denied
February 07, 2009 |
When Michael J. Cavanagh submitted his public
records request to the Uniontown City Council, he
did so with the understanding that the office
would respond to the inquiry within five business
days. It didn't. Read
More...
Pennsylvania Supreme Court holds that autopsy reports are public records
February 01, 2009 |
Last month the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held
that autopsy reports are public records. Although
the court’s holding stands as a resounding
victory for public access, its long-term
implications are less clear, as the court
expressly avoided deciding whether autopsy
reports will remain accessible under the
Commonwealth’s new Right to Know Law, which went
into effect just three weeks before the Supreme
Court handed down its decision. Read
More...
A lively first month for Pa. Open Records Office
January 31, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's fledgling
Office of Open Records, defender of the public's
interest in a transparent government, turns one
month old this weekend. Read
More...
City police reports an issue under open records law
January 10, 2009 |
Should you walk into York's City Hall and glimpse
a new sign that refers to the revamped
Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, pay attention to
the wording that mentions the availability of
police records. Read
More...
II: Terry Mutchler: Right-to-know advocate and arbiter
December 23, 2008 |
In high school, Terry Mutchler's tenacity could be measured in broken field-hockey sticks, including the time she broke her wooden stick in the heat of a game and had to use one belonging to her coach. Read More...
II: Q & A – What is the Pa. Office of Open Records?
December 23, 2008 |
THE WATCHDOG: New rules are open gift for Pa.
December 21, 2008 |
Citizens,
researchers, reporters and just plain inquisitive
folks will get a belated Christmas gift when a
new law takes effect Jan. 1 opening more
government information to public eyes. The
state's revised Right-to-Know law forces more
agencies, plus state lawmakers and judges, to
release records. It brings Pennsylvania in line
with many other states. Read
More...
Pa. open-records chief shows independent spirit
December 06, 2008 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Weeks before the state
Office of Open Records opens for
business, it's clear that office director Terry
Mutchler is not going to simply carry the water
for Gov. Ed Rendell — the man who appointed her
and is technically her boss. Read
More...
Agencies to charge for access to records
November 29, 2008 |
Gov. Ed Rendell, who enacted the state's expanded
open-records law with his signature, might be one
of the first to violate it if state agencies
follow a directive his office has issued.
Read
More...
On Jan. 1, a new day opens with public access to records
November 26, 2008 |
Those
municipalities and school districts that
habitually make it difficult for citizens to
obtain information about their taxpayer-supported
enterprises face a day of reckoning on Jan. 1.
That's when a new Right-to-Know Law takes effect,
with this fundamental change: All records will be
considered public documents unless specifically
exempted. Read
More...
Pennsylvania sets fee for copying public records
November 26, 2008 |
HARRISBURG — People
seeking most government records will soon pay no
more than 25 cents a page under a new state
policy. The fee system, set by the newly created
Office of Open Records, will apply to all state
agencies and municipal governments when the
state's Right to Know Law takes effect Jan.
1. Read
More...
Pa. record copies limited to a quarter a page
November 22, 2008 |
HARRISBURG (AP) —
Starting next year, citizens seeking copies of
most public records in Pennsylvania won't be
charged more than a quarter a page, under an
order that the state's open-records chief plans
to issue Monday.
Read More...
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Pennsylvania officials fret over beginning of open records law
October 07, 2008 |
As state
officials prepare to oversee a new open records
law, senators sought assurances Monday that the
law will not burden local governments or lead to
more identity theft. Read
More...
Hiring freeze won't affect Pa. open-records office
October 06, 2008 |
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania's new open-records
chief has Gov. Ed Rendell's permission to hire
all the employees she needs, despite a statewide
hiring freeze. Read
More...