Local Governments May Need Big Readjustments . . .
Feb 29th, 2008 by JamieB
. . . For Open Records Law
Much attention has focused on the difference Pennsylvania’s new open records statute will make in the conduct of state politics, but local governments will have to make adjustments as well.
“The complexities of the newly revised law raises numerous issues for virtually every governmental entity in the commonwealth,” said Guy P. Beneventano, solicitor for Latimore Township in Dauphin County. “Matters of regulation and compliance and interaction with corporations and the general public seeking information will become a focal point in the coming months.”
Craig Staudenmaier, an attorney at the Harrisburg-based firm Nauman Smith Shissler & Hall, which also employs Mr. Beneventano, said the degree to which localities need to change their procedures will vary depending on how populous their jurisdictions are. Some county and municipal governments in more sparsely populated areas of the state can expect the statute, signed by Gov. Ed Rendell last week, to lead to considerable new expenditures on compliance, with fresh administrative positions being created in some cases. Larger locales like Philadelphia and surrounding boroughs and townships should already be set up to handle requests as they come in, Mr. Staudenmaier said.
Under the law, each municipality will be required to appoint an open-records officer to handle requests, although many employ staffers who could assume such a role.
John McBlain, solicitor for Delaware County, said that he expects the county clerk, who also serves as a right-to-know officer, to face an increased workload as more residents take advantage of the new statute.
“I think the biggest impact will be the publicity it’s gotten,” he said.
“There are so many different exceptions,” Mr. McBlain said. “We’re still trying to digest that.”