PNA, April 12

Notes from the Capitol: Under pressure, Legislature remains focused on open-records reform

By Deborah Musselman
Director of Government Affairs

The return of the House and Senate to session on April 16 marks the kick-off of work on the state budget. But it's less than certain we'll see timely passage by June 30.

One thing that is fairly certain, however, is that serious attention will continue to be paid to issues of open government.

We can’t help believing that the focus on those issues by newspapers and their readers has had an impact, as news unfolds about a true scandal in Haverford Township, Delaware County, resulting from violations of the Open Meeting Law.

Hearings will be held in the House and Senate next month on open record reform and Right to Know issues, at which PNA will provide testimony and assistance. Meanwhile, state senators began to study legislation to increase penalties for violation of the law. The situation in Haverford Township shows the kind of ugly situation that can develop when open meeting standards are circumvented and a grand jury gets involved. That matter has received extensive coverage, deservedly, and has been prominently highlighted on the popular new PaFOIC Web site.

By deplorable coincidence, Senate Bill 467 had already been introduced when the Delaware County news broke. It would increase the fines imposed on people who flout the Sunshine Act.

Again, the issue was circumvention of the open meetings law when the Lancaster County commissioners planned the sale of that county’s nursing home. The politics and litigation of that particular fiasco are still unfolding, and we have conveyed PNA’s support of SB 467.

The grand jury’s recommendation that penalties should be increased for violations of the Sunshine Act has the support of Attorney General Tom Corbett, and shows that newspapers speak for so many citizens who see the need for true transparency in government. We hope and believe that a thoughtful debate coupled with the serious approach we’ve seen so far will produce significant open government reforms before the year is out.

You can help when we call on your paper for assistance, and you can find out the real-time status of significant bills we support or oppose by pulling up the PNA Watch List.

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