SD House Committee Approves Open Records Measure

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The bill declares all public records open to the public unless a law or rule specifically closes them.

By Associated Press

Story Created: Mar 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 9, 2009 at 2:22 PM CST

A South Dakota House committee has endorsed a measure that declares all government records are open to the public unless a law or rule specifically closes them.

SB147 was approved earlier by the Senate.

The House State Affairs Committee voted unanimously to pass the bill after approving some changes that were negotiated by
lawmakers, the governor's office and representatives of news organizations.

Those changes say public officials and employees would not have to disclose information about correspondence, appointment logs, working papers or records of telephone calls.

The measure also closes medical records, trade secrets, student records, financial information about people or businesses, and
information that could create a threat to public safety.

The bill next goes to the full House.

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