Senate sets up open records bill for vote
Jan. 28, 2008
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Senate on Monday readied a rewrite of Pennsylvania's open records law for a vote as senators look for ways to compromise with a House version that passed six weeks ago.
The Senate Rules Committee approved an amended bill, 14-1, and set it up for a potential vote Tuesday by the full Senate.
House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, expressed confidence Monday that the chambers would send a final version to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature this week.
In general, both Senate and House versions are designed to subject more records to public review and give citizens a better chance in court when challenging a government rejection of an open records request.
Leaders of both chambers say they are committed to an overhaul Pennsylvania's 50-year-old Right-to-Know Law, widely regarded as one of the nation's weakest freedom-of-information laws.
However, the chambers have disagreed over various aspects of the bill, such as whether birth dates should be made public and whether people should get an edge in court when appealing a denial of a legislative or judicial record.
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