Right-to-Know discussion on Monday
Oct 25th, 2007 by JamieB
Right-to-Know Law reform up for public discussion
A public discussion on proposed changes to Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law will be held Monday, Oct. 29 in Camp Hill, and will feature key players in the open government debate.
The forum is being hosted by the Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition (PaFOIC) at the Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., beginning at 7 p.m.
“We’re expecting a lively evening,” said Kim de Bourbon, executive director of the PaFOIC. “Measures for changing the law are before the House and Senate right now, and we’ll hear from many different perspectives on this issue.”
The first panel will allow representatives of all sides to lay out areas of agreement and disagreement on the issue of open government records. Speaking will be Douglas Hill, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania; Cpl. Linette G. Quinn, public information coordinator of the Pennsylvania State Police; Larry Frankel, legislative director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania; Teri Henning of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association; David Newhouse, executive editor of The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, and Tim Potts, executive director of Democracy Rising Pennsylvania. Moderating the discussion will be Scott Gilbert, news director of WITF-FM, Harrisburg.
The second panel, to begin at 8 p.m., is designed to examine how lawmakers might balance all interests. Speaking will be Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin, chair of the Senate State Government Committee; Rep. Tim Mahoney, R-Fayette, sponsor of House Bill 443; Gov. Ed Rendell or a representative of his office; and Craig Staudenmaier, an open records advocate and general counsel of the PaFOIC. Moderating this debate will be G. Terry Madonna, Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster.
The public is invited to attend at no charge. The Camp Hill event is the third of four forums being sponsored this fall on the open records issue. The fourth will be held Monday, Nov. 26, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Earlier forums were held in Pittsburgh and State College.
For information, contact the Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition at info@openrecordspa.org or call (570) 994-5748. Details are posted online at www.openrecords.org.
The Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition is a non-profit organization founded in 2005, dedicated to helping all citizens obtain public information from their local and state governments. Its website, www.openrecordspa.org, offers information and resources about the state’s Right to Know Law and Sunshine Act, as well as an interactive forum where members can post questions about government access.