Pennsylvania Senate Bill 411 Summary
PAGR * Lobbypalooza
October 22, 2015
Erik Arneson, Executive Director
Senate Bill 411
Commercial Requests
•
Allows agencies to charge an hourly rate for
commercial requests.
•
Must be based on lowest-paid employee
capable of processing the request.
•
Fees can be appealed to the OOR.
Senate Bill 411
Inmate Requests
•
Establishes categories of records available to
inmates.
•
Inmates must use other policies before RTKL.
•
“Inmate” does not include pre-trial detainee.
Senate Bill 411
Home Addresses
•
One provision establishes a process for agency
employees to object to release of home
addresses.
•
Separate provision exempts home addresses
of most state & local government employees.
Senate Bill 411
Requests Related to Civil Litigation
•
Allows agencies to deny requests by a party to
litigation when the request:
Is material to a pending civil action; or
Was previously made in discovery.
Senate Bill 411
Records Presented to Agency Quorum
•
Clarifies that records presented to a quorum
for deliberation are public, regardless of
whether a vote occurs at the meeting.
Senate Bill 411
Volunteer Fire & EMS Companies
•
Clarifies that volunteer fire & EMS companies
are not “agencies” under RTKL.
•
Currently, they are “agencies” in all but about
five counties, where Courts of Common Pleas
have ruled they are not.
Senate Bill 411
Victim Information
•
Establishes that “the home address of the
individual who accesses emergency dispatch”
is not public.
•
Defines “time response log.”
Senate Bill 411
Final Safety Inspection Reports
•
Clarifies that “final safety inspection reports”
are available for public review.
Senate Bill 411
State-Related Universities
•
Dramatically expands financial and statistical
data available from
TEMPLE*
, Penn State, Pitt
and Lincoln.
•
All information will be available online.
* Temple University’s football team is currently 6-0, ranked #22 in the country.
Senate Bill 411
Appeals Process at OOR
•
Increased flexibility for Appeals Officers.
More time for complex appeals.
•
Clarifies ability to conduct
in camera
reviews.
•
Does
not
address issue of Executive Director.
Other Legislation
20+ Other Bills Introduced
•
Other approaches to home addresses.
•
Birth dates, Social Security Numbers.
•
Commercial requesters.
•
Information re: 911 calls.
•
Records available in public bargaining.
THANK YOU
Erik Arneson, Executive Director
http://openrecords.pa.gov
@ErikOpenRecords
@OpenRecordsPA
earneson@pa.gov
(717) 346-9903
This summary covers the key provisions of Pennsylvania Senate Bill 411, including commercial requests, inmate requests, home addresses, civil litigation, agency quorum records, volunteer fire & EMS companies, victim information, and final safety inspection reports. The bill addresses various aspects of public record requests and access in the state, establishing guidelines and exceptions for different types of information inquiries.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Erik Arneson, Executive Director PAGR * Lobbypalooza October 22, 2015 http://openrecords.pa.gov @ErikOpenRecords @OpenRecordsPA earneson@pa.gov (717) 346-9903
Senate Bill 411 Commercial Requests Allows agencies to charge an hourly rate for commercial requests. Must be based on lowest-paid employee capable of processing the request. Fees can be appealed to the OOR.
Senate Bill 411 Inmate Requests Establishes categories of records available to inmates. Inmates must use other policies before RTKL. Inmate does not include pre-trial detainee.
Senate Bill 411 Home Addresses One provision establishes a process for agency employees to object to release of home addresses. Separate provision exempts home addresses of most state & local government employees.
Senate Bill 411 Requests Related to Civil Litigation Allows agencies to deny requests by a party to litigation when the request: Is material to a pending civil action; or Was previously made in discovery.
Senate Bill 411 Records Presented to Agency Quorum Clarifies that records presented to a quorum for deliberation are public, regardless of whether a vote occurs at the meeting.
Senate Bill 411 Volunteer Fire & EMS Companies Clarifies that volunteer fire & EMS companies are not agencies under RTKL. Currently, they are agencies in all but about five counties, where Courts of Common Pleas have ruled they are not.
Senate Bill 411 Victim Information Establishes that the home address of the individual who accesses emergency dispatch is not public. Defines time response log.
Senate Bill 411 Final Safety Inspection Reports Clarifies that final safety inspection reports are available for public review.
Senate Bill 411 State-Related Universities Dramatically expands financial and statistical data available from TEMPLE*, Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln. All information will be available online. * Temple University s football team is currently 6-0, ranked #22 in the country.
Senate Bill 411 Appeals Process at OOR Increased flexibility for Appeals Officers. More time for complex appeals. Clarifies ability to conduct in camera reviews. Does not address issue of Executive Director.
Other Legislation 20+ Other Bills Introduced Other approaches to home addresses. Birth dates, Social Security Numbers. Commercial requesters. Information re: 911 calls. Records available in public bargaining.
Erik Arneson, Executive Director THANK YOU http://openrecords.pa.gov @ErikOpenRecords @OpenRecordsPA earneson@pa.gov (717) 346-9903
