Dec 2008
NEWS ON OPEN GOVERNMENT ISSUES | Jan 2009 | Nov 2008

New York expert raps new Pa. records law


December 27, 2008 | Filed in: New RTK Law
ALBANY — While Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law is widely considered a major change for the better, a longtime New York open-government expert claims it is fraught with potential problems. Read More...

V: Pa.'s new law improves state's access reputation

December 26, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
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Final installment in a five-part series of Associated Press stories on Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — It was a dubious distinction that may have done more than any other factor to produce a new Right-to-Know Law: Pennsylvania's long-standing reputation as one of the worst states when it comes to letting people know what their government is doing. Read More...

V: Q & A — Pa. law provides paper option for electronic files

December 26, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Q: What if the public record I want is in electronic form, but I don't have access to a computer? Read More...

IV: In Pa., neglected records may mean longer waits

December 25, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
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Fourth in a five-part series of Associated Press stories on Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law.HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — In many government offices, records requests made under the state's new Right-to-Know Law may take longer than necessary to process because officials have not policed their files over the years and disposed of outdated records. Read More...

IV: Q & A — Can non-Pa. residents seek records under new law?

December 25, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Q: Can I be denied a public record under Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law because I am not a Pennsylvania resident? Read More...

III: New Pa. law opens up government contractor records

December 24, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
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Third in a five-part series of Associated Press stories on Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Private businesses that do business with state and local governments in Pennsylvania are about to find themselves having to make some of their records available to the public. Read More...

III: Q & A — Will the Right-to-Know Law foster identity theft?

December 24, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Q: Will Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law make it easier for someone to steal my identity? Read More...

II: Terry Mutchler: Right-to-know advocate and arbiter

December 23, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | Terry Mutchler | Office of Open Records
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Second in a five-part series of Associated Press stories on Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law.
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 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law | Office of Open Records
Q: What is the Pennsylvania Office of Open  Records? Read More...

PA Supreme Court bans paper's access to cell phone bills.

December 22, 2008 | Filed in: Open records | Cell phone records
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP, Dec. 22) - Pennsylvania's highest court says a newspaper cannot obtain all the information in the cell phone records of two Pittsburgh City Council members. Read More...

I: New Pa. open records law seen as key to public access

December 22, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
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First in a five-part series of Associated Press stories on Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Public-access advocates hope that widely shared frustration will subside after Jan. 1, when an overhaul of the state's Right-to-Know Law takes effect. The changes are expected to dramatically expand what people can find out about what goes on behind the scenes of the state and local governments. Read More...

I: Q & A — What makes new Pa. open-records law different?

December 22, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Q: What is the major difference between Pennsylvania's old and new Right-to-Know laws? Read More...

I: Pa. Right-to-Know law contains 30 exceptions

December 22, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law contains exceptions for 30 categories of records. Most do not apply to financial records or aggregated data, such as spreadsheets and databases. A summary of the exceptions: Read More...

I: How to file a Right-to-Know request under Pa. law 


December 22, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Common questions and answers about how to file a request under Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law. Read More...

I: What's public and what's not under new Pa. law

December 22, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open Records Series | New RTK Law
Examples of information that the government must make available to the public under Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law, and examples of government information that will remain private: Read More...

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 | Filed in: New RTK Law | Terry Mutchler | Office of Open Records | Fees
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...