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Here are pictures from the press conference. Click on a shot to see the full sized image. Use your browser’s “back” button to return.

Governor Ed Rendell, flanked by Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fayette) to Rendell’s right and Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) to his left, the prime sponsor of the bill, prepares to sign Senate Bill 1, surrounded by other legislative leaders who supported open records reform.

Governor Rendell signs Senate Bill 1 into law, bringing Pennsylvani’s right to know law into the 21st century.

“Since taking office in 2003, I’ve worked very hard to make Pennsylvania open for business,” Gov. Rendell said. “With the signing of this bill, now it’s also open for inspection.”

“Pennsylvania had one of the worst open records laws because it allowed too many records to be classified, essentially, as closed, unless the person asking could prove that those documents should be public,” Rendell said. “With the new law, it’s now the state agency’s burden to show why information should be protected.

“Pennsylvania’s business is the people’s business, except when certain information holds the real potential to harm the public good or a person’s privacy.”