Bill Ending Access To Public Records Through Exorbitant Fees Reappears On Closing Day Of Session

The Indiana General Assembly lives up it to its reputation as the nation's worst legislature. On the final week of session, lawmakers have inserted into a conference committee report for SB 369 a change in the state's public records law that would essentially allow governmental entities to charge persons $20 per hour to respond to public records searches, effectively making it impossible for citizens to obtain information from their government. The Gannett-owned Indianapolis Star, which gets its marching owners from its masters in Langley, Virginia, is a proponent of this effort to shut down the public's access to public records. In particular, The Star does not want citizen bloggers to get information to matters it doesn't want the public to know about. Of course, there are some sweeteners in the bill for the public notices publications like The Star gets paid exorbitant fees to publish which nobody ever reads. The lawmakers who put their names on this bill for whom you should have nothing but utter disdain are the following:

• Sen. Pete Miller (R-Avon)
• Sen Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis)
• Sen Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago)
• Rep. Dennis Zent (R-Angola)
• Rep. Donna Schaibley (R-Carmel)
• Rep. Todd Huston (R-Fishers)
• Rep. David Niezgodski (D-South Bend)
• Rep. Jerry Torr (R-Carmel)
• Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) 

The bill passed the House on a 92-5 vote. The five lawmakers voting against it are: 

• State Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend)
• State Rep. Karlee Macer (D-Indianapolis)
• State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington)
• State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn)
• State Rep. Heath Vannatter (R-Kokomo)

UPDATE: Here's the AP's report on this lousy legislation. The Star's lobbyist talks it up:

. . . . Bill sponsor Republican Rep. Dennis Zent of Angola said local governments often receive complicated requests for documents from certain individuals.

"I don't think that's a wise use of taxpayer money if that's just one individual repeatedly doing it," Zent said.

Supporters also applaud a provision that would allow a requester to receive records electronically. The search fee would apply, but the requester would not have to pay a copying cost.

Currently, an agency can refuse to provide electronic copies, forcing a requester to pick up records in person and pay a copying fee.

Hoosier State Press Association Executive Director Steve Key said the benefit of getting records in an easy format outweighs the potential negatives of a search fee.

Key said it would also save time and resources for both government agencies and records requesters.

"This is going to probably force people to be a little bit more selective when they make records requests," he said. "It will be much more of a rifle approach as opposed to a shot gun or casting a fishing net."

Democratic Rep. Matt Pierce of Bloomington criticized the measure.

"The records are created with our tax dollars; the employees and the buildings are paid for with our tax dollars. If they've got to suffer through a few people who make outrageous requests, that's kind of the price of democracy," he said . . . 

Key's been a lobbyist at the State House so long he's forgotten what good government is all about. And another old-time State House reporter who just doesn't get it.

Interesting though the attack on @indystar is unwarranted: https://t.co/iawWXlH5i3

— Mary Beth Schneider (@marybschneider) April 29, 2015