MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Senate on Thursday advanced legislation aimed at strengthening the state’s weak open records law by setting deadlines to respond to requests to view public documents.
Senators voted 29-0 for the legislation. The bill now moves to the House.
“Right now, under current law, it’s the wild west. We don’t have timelines for governments or universities to respond in due time,” Republican Sen. Arthur Orr, the bill’s sponsor, said.
Alabama’s public records law says any citizen has the right to inspect and take copies of public writings, except for those exempted by law. However, it does not provide deadlines for responses.
The legislation would require a public records officer to acknowledge the receipt of a simple request within 10 days and then “provide a substantive response” to the request within 15 additional business days. Public entities would be given more time to respond to requests that would require more than eight hours of work to fulfill.
Braless Maura Higgins turns up the heat in a daring cleavage
Person in serious condition after incident in Feilding
King Charles 'asked Katy Perry for selfie' for a private secretary
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan seeking to have one another testify at upcoming divorce hearing
Even with John Schneider still in charge a new era arrives for Seahawks entering 2024 NFL draft
Scoop review: Netflix's Prince Andrew drama divides critics
Week in Politics: Tax cuts and a spoonful of sugar
Ministry of Health proposes 134 job losses
Kenya’s military chief dies in a helicopter crash
NZ to give $6m in humanitarian aid to Sudan and Gaza
Indianapolis man charged with murder in fatal shootings of 3 at apartment complex
Indiana mother Raeleigh Phillips charged with murdering nine