Our officials should know the new rules

Sun, May 18 2008

— Valentine's Day was a sweet day for advocates of open government in Pennsylvania. It was the day Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law sweeping reforms to greatly strengthen the Commonwealth's Right-to-Know law.
The first revision to the open records law in 51 years came after 13 months of haggling over how much information politicians and government workers should be allowed to conceal from the public. The new law will force agencies to disclose all records beyond a list of exceptions, rather than the old law's narrow list of public records available. This flipping of the assumption was the law's main accomplishment. Agencies also will be required to justify any decisions to keep records secret. The old law put the legal burden on citizens to prove why a record must be disclosed.
One last hurdle must be cleared. Government workers should be trained so they understand what documents residents are entitled to see. Average citizens may not know exactly what information is available for public review. They should be able to trust that when they approach municipal, school or county workers that they are given accurate information.
A seminar -- sponsored by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and the Governor's Center for Local Government Services -- will help. "The Open Records Act: What is New, and What has Stayed the Same" is being offered across Pennsylvania in the coming months. One session will be held April 24 in Pottsville and another will be held May 1 in Williamsport.
Local officials should take advantage of the opportunity to become versed in the requirements of the new law. The reforms take effect in January 2009. Local government should be "open" for business when the time arrives, or before.