Alabama on Wednesday took a step toward government transparency, with Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature on a bill that will set specific deadlines to respond with public records request.
The governor’s office called it the most significant amendment to the open records law in more than 50 years.“Today, we build on the foundation laid by Executive Order 734 to ensure the principle of transparency endures beyond the Ivey Administration,” the governor said in a prepared statement. “Transparency isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a commitment to letting the sunlight in and ensuring our citizens can hold their government accountable.
The governor indicated that the new law balances the people’s right to timely information about how their government works against concerns about overly burdensome information requests. The law sets out a series of deadlines. For instance, public officials must acknowledge a records request within 10 days and provide a “substantive response” – such as approving, denying or informing the requester that it will take longer to gather the information – within 15 business days.The law exempts the judicial branch from of the open records statute.
“Any citizen has the right to receive an acknowledgement and a timely response when making a request for a public record,” Press Association executive director Felicia Mason said in a statement included in Ivey’s news release. “The Governor’s Office played an integral role in getting a good compromise between interested parties.:
Added Broadcasters Association president Sharon Tinsley: “Now, with her signature, the governor is assuring Alabamians the right to a timely response when making a request. We applaud her continued efforts to see improvements in our open records law in Alabama.”
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