PNA Legal
Opinion: OOR can't order payment of legal fees
April 08, 2010 |
Q: I recently filed an appeal with the Office
of Open Records. The agency has asked the Office
of Open Records to order me or my newspaper to
pay the agency’s legal fees related to the
appeal. The agency argues that my request is
“frivolous” because I requested the same record
under the old law and was denied. Can the Office
of Open Records order me to pay the agency’s
legal fees resulting from the OOR appeal?
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Opinion: Clean Streams Act makes DEP records public
February 25, 2010 |
Q: I want to look at applications filed with
the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Can the DEP deny my request? Read
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Opinion: Minutes public after next meeting; recordings public when created
February 18, 2010 |
Q: I requested copies of a local agency’s
minutes and audio recording from a meeting held
in early December, 2009. I was denied on the
basis that meeting minutes aren’t public until
they have been formally approved, and the audio
recording is exempt as a “personal use” record.
There have been three meetings since early
December. Can the agency deny access to minutes
and the audio recording at this point?
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Opinion: No blanket exemption for email on personal account
January 28, 2010 |
Q: I requested access to e-mails sent between
council members and the mayor of a local agency.
The agency denied my request on the basis that
the agency does not provide e-mail accounts to
council or the mayor, and the e-mails are sent
from personal e-mail addresses. Can they do
that? Read
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Pennsylvania Sunshine Act: Improvements needed
January 18, 2010 |
The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's fsummary
of improvements needed in Pennsylvania's open
meetings law, known as the "Sunshine Act."
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Opinion: Cell phones may be used to record meetings
January 14, 2010 |
Q: I recently attended a public meeting and
was told that I could not use my cell phone to
record the proceedings because cell phones are
not approved by the board as an appropriate
recording device and because I didn’t get
permission to record in advance. Can the agency
do that? Read
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Opinion: Agency can't take additional extension
January 07, 2010 |
Q: An agency requested an additional 30
calendar days in which to respond to my Right to
Know Law request. On the 30th day, I received a
letter stating that the records are public but
the agency will take an additional three months
to compile and copy them due to staffing
limitations. Can the agency extend their time for
response like that? Read
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