Source: www.spokesman.com - Thursday, January 31, 2019
OLYMPIA – Legislators would have to make public some of their correspondence, documents and memos – although not as much as other government officials in Washington – under a proposal filed Thursday. Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, called his plan a result of “a very painful learning experience” lawmakers went through last year when they tried to push through special exemptions to the Public Records Act after a court said they had to comply with the law. “The Legislature needs to move to a place of greater transparency in its work,” Pedersen said in describing the proposal to reporters after it was drafted but before it was filed. Under the proposal, legislators would have to comply with public records requests for correspondence, meeting calendars and documents about bills that are filed. They would not have to release personal information about constituents who contact them, but they would have to reveal the names and employers of lobbyists who contact them. Information in correspondence from whistleblowers also could be protected. Correspondence or drafts of bills that are discussed among themselves but never filed and vote counts in caucuses also would be exempt. Keeping that information from public view is necessary “for us to be able to do our job effectively,” Pedersen said. Local government officials have often made the same claim but do not have such a strong exemption for preliminary documents prepared at taxpayers exp
Source: Breaking News
OLYMPIA – Legislators would have to make public some of their correspondence, documents and memos – although not as much as other government officials in Washington – under a proposal filed Thursday. Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, called his plan a result of “a very painful learning experience” lawmakers went through last year when they tried to push through special exemptions to the Public Records Act after a court said they had to comply with the law. “The Legislature needs to move to a place of greater transparency in its work,” Pedersen said in describing the proposal to reporters after it was drafted but before it was filed. Under the proposal, legislators would have to comply with public records requests for correspondence, meeting calendars and documents about bills that are filed. They would not have to release personal information about constituents who contact them, but they would have to reveal the names and employers of lobbyists who contact them. Information in correspondence from whistleblowers also could be protected. Correspondence or drafts of bills that are discussed among themselves but never filed and vote counts in caucuses also would be exempt. Keeping that information from public view is necessary “for us to be able to do our job effectively,” Pedersen said. Local government officials have often made the same claim but do not have such a strong exemption for preliminary documents prepared at taxpayers exp
| All Related |
Source: Breaking News
Comments
Post a Comment