Office of Open Records

Panel provides insight into Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law

Four panelists gave insight on the first year of the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law during a symposium in the HUB Ohio room at 7 p.m. March 31. The event came after Sunshine Week, which celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Right to Know Law, which is a type of Sunshine law, meant to give open access to public documents.
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Office of Open Records requests higher funding

The head of Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records spoke before the House Appropriations Committee today to requesting more tax funds than proposed in the Governor’s budget due to the high number of appeals filed by agencies contesting the release of information, and the additional lawyers the Office requires to handle these cases. Read More...

Court says government must prove need to keep information secret

A state appeals court's first ruling on the new Right to Know Law upholds the idea that government agencies must prove they have a good reason for withholding information, lawyers and others said yesterday. "It's a strong decision for open government," said Barry Fox, spokesman for the state Office of Open Records. Read More...

Allentown sues Morning Call, reporter, open records office

Allentown is suing The Morning Call, reporter Jarrett Renshaw and the state Office of Open Records, claiming the agency improperly ruled on Renshaw's request under the year-old Right-to-Know Law for the official e-mails and schedules of Mayor Ed Pawlowski and other administration officials. Read More...

Judge rules to release names as sewer records fight ends after 8 months

An eight-month fight over the identities of Sharon sewer customers who collectively owe about $1 million in unpaid bills ended Tuesday with a judge agreeing with the state Office of Open Records and ordering the records be released. Read More...

WGAL-TV appeals ruling barring it from information on college student's death

A midstate TV station is appealing a Cumberland County judge’s ruling barring it from information on a Shippensburg University student’s death. Read More...

Bucks County appeals state Office of Open Records decision

Bucks County officials do not believe the record of when two employees – opponents in a county election – entered the courthouse each day should be a matter of public information. Read More...

Beaver Co. Times' open records appeal upheld

The state Office of Open Records this week upheld an appeal by The Beaver County Times of a fee imposed by the State Employees Retirement System for providing information under Pennsylvania’s open-records law. Read More...

Allentown fights open records ruling

Allentown officials are appealing an administrative ruling ordering the city to provide the e-mails and records of daily schedules for Mayor Ed Pawlowski and two Cabinet members to a reporter from The Morning Call. Read More...