From Associated Press:
The state Legislature has passed a bill that will require nearly every government office across Tennessee to tell citizens how they can get public records.
State Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, led the bill’s passage.
The measure first directs the open records counsel in the state comptroller’s office to come up with a model public records policy that local government agencies could adopt. The legislation would then require government offices to have a written public records policy by July 1, 2017. The policy can’t be less open than state law allows, and it should explain to citizens how to make a request to either inspect or copy public records and any fees charged for obtaining copies.
The primary sponsors of the bill were Sen. Richard Briggs and Rep. Bill Dunn, both Republicans from Knoxville.
For more details, see: Model public records policy to be developed under proposed bill
The new law could make requesting public records much less confusing and onerous for citizens.
