The law, which took effect immediately, allows the state to wall off details about the security provided the GOP governor and other constitutional officers.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has argued the restrictions are needed to protect her and her family, citing threats she's faced since taking office. | Al Drago/Pool via APLITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law Thursday restricting release of her travel and security records after the Legislature wrapped up a special session marked by a fight to more broadly scale back the state Freedom of Information Act.
“We protected the police officers who protect our constitutional officers and my family in keeping their security information and tactics exempt from Freedom of Information Act disclosure,” Sanders said before signing the measure, about two hours after lawmakers gave it final it approval. Democratic Rep. Andrew Collins said protecting the governor and her family is a good reason to exempt some records from release, but it should only be done as narrowly as possible.
The new law requires the state to file a quarterly report with the Legislature listing the monthly costs of protecting the governor by category. The law is also retroactive to June 1, 2022, a provision State Police said was needed to protect preparation made for whoever became the next governor after the party primaries that year.
The broader exemptions originally sought prompted an outcry from media groups, transparency advocates and some conservatives who said it would create massive holes in the state’s open records law.
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