New Bill Regarding Records Retention Rules for Lawmakers
Wednesday, October 30th, 2019 -- 7:42 AM
(WRN) -A proposal at the Capitol would require state lawmakers to follow the same records retention rules as other state and local officials.It's a "loophole" in the state's open records law, according to state Senator Chris Larson of Milwaukee.
"And there are legislators who have that as a practice. As soon the meeting's over they delete it. So even if a records request comes in, it won't show up, because they don't have to report it."
Larson's bill is currently parked in a Senate committee. Bill Lueders (leaders) is president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.
"Nothing will happen to it, because the lawmakers don't want to lose their ability to destroy records. But I think we need to make a fuss about the fact that they can do this."
Lueders says it's unclear exactly when lawmakers carved out their exception, but it was decades ago.
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