Spud Panel Pushes New Secrecy Bill

After suffering a governor’s veto Wednesday, the state Potato Commission is pushing a new bill restricting public access to its records.

Media representatives, who opposed the bill vetoed by Gov. Phil Batt late Wednesday, say the new proposal is acceptable and doesn’t deny the public access to the commission’s records.

The House Ways and Means Committee will consider introducing the new bill Friday.

The proposal vetoed by Batt would have closed the commission’s discussions on cases enforcing Idaho’s trademark use audits, purchases and sales information obtained for those cases, and working papers generated by the commission during its administrative decision-making process.

“People who pay dues or sell potatoes shouldn’t unduly be restricted,” Batt said Thursday. Roy Eiguren, a newspaper lobbyist for the Idaho Allied Dailies, said the new proposal doesn’t restrict the public from attending deliberations on trademark cases. The bill would exempt only records that are involved in active investigations. “All the issues are resolved,” Eiguren said.

Batt said he would support the new compromise if it didn’t derail open records.

“We believe in a free exchange of information, particularly in government,” Batt said.

, DataTimes