Office of Open Records
Pa. Society of News Editors weighs in on Office of Open Records dispute
January 29, 2015
The Pennsylvania Society of News Editors is disappointed in Gov. Tom Wolf’s attempt to dismiss the executive director of the Office of Open Records. Read More…
Delay sought in hearing over Pa. open records officer status
January 29, 2015
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) —The Pennsylvania attorney general's office on Thursday asked for more time before a hearing about who should serve as director of the state Office of Open Records. The filing by lawyers who represent Gov. Tom Wolf, the open records agency and a state department wrote that they want to interview Erik Arneson, who was fired from the position last week by the newly sworn-in governor. Read More…
Pa. Senate GOP sues Wolf over ouster of Corbett appointee
January 26, 2015
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Republican majority in the Pennsylvania Senate is suing Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf over his firing of his predecessor's appointee as head of the state Office of Open Records. Read More…
Opinion: Keep Office of Open Records Independent
January 26, 2015
The Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition believes that the position of executive director of the Office of Open Records is not one that can be terminated at will. Certainly the executive director can be removed for cause as that phrase has been legally determined by the Pennsylvania courts. But to advocate for an interpretation that the head of an agency charged with ruling on the public nature of executive branch records serves at the pleasure of the Governor subverts the critical independent nature of that office. Read More…
PNA Statement on the Office of Open Records
January 23, 2015
HARRISBURG, Pa. (January 23, 2015) — The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association considers the establishment of Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records to be among the most important changes to Pennsylvania’s 2008 Right to Know Law. Before the Act was amended in 2008, citizens had to file an action in court to challenge an agency’s denial of records, often at great expense and great delay. Read More…
Gov. Wolf fires open records director and recalls Corbett's nominations
January 22, 2015
HARRISBURG - So much for a honeymoon. On his second day in office, Gov. Wolf rescinded more than two dozen eleventh-hour appointments by his predecessor - firing the state's new open records officer, canceling judicial nominations, and effectively booting the former lieutenant governor from Temple University's board of trustees. Read More…
Opinion: A record year for open records
January 21, 2015
Cheers to York County solicitor Mike Flannelly for confirming one of our predictions from several years ago when the state's new open records law was being debated: A more liberal open records law would be a bigger boon to businesses and regular citizens than to "the media." Read More…
Gov.-elect Tom Wolf schedules first class for appointees. Subject: Open government
January 20, 2015
Signaling a commitment to transparency from Day One, Gov.-elect Tom Wolf is expected to sign a executive order on Tuesday about openness in government and follow it up with training on Wednesday for himself and his Cabinet on the state's Right to Know Law. Read More…
Republican Senate staffer Erik Arneson named new director of Office of Open Records
January 09, 2015
In one of his final acts as the state's chief executive, Gov. Tom Corbett on Friday announced the appointment of Erik Arneson as executive director of the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Read More…
