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.
Even with John Schneider still in charge a new era arrives for Seahawks entering 2024 NFL draft
Ukraine war: Five dead and a million without power after wave of Russian strikes
Bill to Fund US Government Includes Money to Counter China in Pacific
Scientists find 'devastating' coral bleaching in Great Barrier Reef's far north
Women share the infuriating behaviour that made them start to rethink their relationships
Opportunities Party leader Raf Manji resigns
Human Rights Commission advises caution over boot camps
Report recommends councillors don't support plan for second Auckland harbour crossing
Husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon is arrested again in party finance probe
NZ missing out, lawyers say as visas for wealthy investors plummet
Ally Financial, CSX rise; Equifax, Synovus Financial fall, Thursday, 4/18/2024
Future of Picton overbridge up in the air