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February 3, 2012 in City
Records restrictions plan advances
OLYMPIA – Washington lawmakers are advancing a plan that could limit how governments respond to requests for public documents.
A Senate panel voted 4-2 on Thursday to approve the measure. Democratic Sen. Maralyn Chase, of Shoreline, had initially opposed the bill, saying she had “serious concerns” and that current law may already remedy the situation. But she changed her vote after the hearing and then said through a spokesman that she actually only had technical concerns.
Lawmakers did vote to remove language from the bill that allowed agencies to seek a court order blocking a request if they could prove it was “significant burden.” They kept in rules that would permit agencies to adopt policies limiting the amount of time devoted to responding to records requests.
Some local government officials are seeking the law change to deal with abusive requesters. Open government advocates say there are already tools to deal with excessive requests.
© Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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survivalguy on February 03 at 10:49 a.m.
And, in other news, own own resident fool Sen Lisa Brown introduced legislation that guts the public records laws…
It seems like their is a virus running around Olympia - They want to end the public’s ability to get public records.
I wonder why?
The purported reasons have to do with harrasing requests, but the current law has measures to deal with those.
Also floated as justification is the amount of time and resources required to provide the people with the produce of their own tax dollars.
What these bills (SB 6576 and SB 6351) really seek to do is gut public records law. They want to take away your ability to find out what these people are doing both in your name and with your money!
berrybestfarm on February 03 at 10:56 a.m.
I’ve often wondered why a copy of every public record is not automatically archived by department in a state library. A good computer index and a single employee should be able to handle it. Branches in strategic regional locations would allow all citizens reasonable access. Probably a lot less expensive than every jurisdiction doing their own thing.
Dennis Patterson—Deer park
greenlibertarian on February 03 at 11:20 a.m.
I am VERY wary of government limiting their transparency. Sunshine policies and open meetings law are extremely important as a check upon the government.
sju on February 03 at 11:59 a.m.
Well, everyone should communicate, today, with their respective legislators, ESPECIALLY Lisa Brown, and tell them to cancel this horrible legislation!
Lisa is supposedly a Democrat, a progressive, someone we hope will do the work of THE PEOPLE. I remember the 70’s, I remember the Pentagon papers, I remember how they changed the course of our history, I remember how some “sunshine” brought Dick Nixon down…
To hear that Lisa introduced legislation like this, or that she supports the other legislation like this, shakes my faith in her commitment to those very progressive ideals.
I hope she has a suitable explanation for this, and not some conservative-sounding “These request just COST our districts time and money…” “It’s all about saving money.” crap.
Come on Lisa, really?
survivalguy on February 06 at 4:35 p.m.
I’m not the least bit surprised that Lisa Brown would offer up this legislation.
1. She’s in the pocket of the big money players in town - and that most certaily includes the Spokane Public Schools.
2. After a year in which they have been forced to hand over records because of the Public Records Law, and those records have lead directly to a Public Disclosure Commision investigation of the district, Spokane Public Schools now has this very legislation as a “Legislative Priority”. Go figure…
3. Lisa Brown is not a Progressive. Progressives are interested in improving the lot of the common man and woman - Lisa Brown is interested only in improving the lot of Lisa Brown.
laurierogers on February 08 at 10:34 p.m.
The Seattle Times and The Daily Herald have spoken out against SB 6576.
Those newspapers, other reporting media, and all others who believe in transparent government also should speak out against the equally bad SB 6351.
SB 6351 ostensibly is a solution to nuisance requests, but it would allow all public agencies to threaten the public with legal action, to file for an injunction against the release of certain records, and to refuse requests from repeat requesters. SB 6351 would result in capricious and subjective law.
SB 6576 and SB 6351 represent an attack on open government and on the people. Both bills should be rejected. The co-sponsors of these bad bills should be taken to task by their constituents, 99% of whom would be cut off from the Public Records Act if either bill passes.
If either bill is defeated, and it appears that SB 6576 might be, watch out for the language in the bill to be snuck into some other bill. The people pushing for this legislation mean to have it. Stay alert, and remember that the Public Records Act was a people’s initiative. It’s there for the people. Do not allow your self-interested government to take it away from you.
Laurie H. Rogers
http://betrayed-whyeducationisfailing.blogspot.com
wlroge@comcast.net