What is the Open Records Law?
Feb. 13, 2008
Compiled by JAN MURPHY
Of The Patriot-News
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The bill overhauling the state's 51-year-old Open Records Law aims to make government more transparent. It has been 13 months in the making. Gov. Ed Rendell is awaiting receipt of the bill, which he is expected to sign as early as this week. The state Senate voted 50-0 on Tuesday to pass a version of the bill that the House voted 199-0 on Monday to approve.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? It puts the onus on local and state government officials to prove a document should not be made available. The update also creates a state office of open records to assist people with record requests and establishes a uniform procedure for appealing denials. It extends the law to the General Assembly for the first time.
WHAT BECOMES OPEN? Community college financial records, legislative committee attendance records, correspondence between lobbyists and legislators, 911 time-response logs, and salaries of the 25 highest-paid employees at Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln universitied.
WHAT WOULD STAY CLOSED? Personal and medical records; Social Security numbers; police investigative files; autopsy reports; 911 recordings and transcripts unless courts or counties find public interest outweighs privacy concerns; juveniles' names, addresses and birth dates; and lists of people receiving social services.
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