HARRISBURG Law sets deadlines for government to respond to requests for records

Under certain circumstances, government officials can deny requests for public documents.
HARRISBURG (AP) -- A law designed to hasten the public's access to government documents took effect last week, putting the first limits on how long officials may stall before they respond to a request for records.
The law forces state agencies to answer record requests within 10 days. Municipal and county governments must respond within five days.
Previously, officials were required only to submit a response within a "reasonable" time frame -- a nebulous deadline that sometimes allowed agencies to ignore requests for weeks or months.
Under certain circumstances, government officials are allowed to deny a request to see a public document, but if they do so they must issue a letter explaining why. Agencies that fail to meet the deadline could be subject to a $300 maximum fine.
"The right of the people to see public records must be enforced if government of the people, by the people and for the people is to continue to flourish," said the law's lead sponsor, state Rep. John Maher.
The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association lobbied for the change in the 44-year-old open records law.
Streamlines access
Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a government watchdog group, said the new deadlines probably wouldn't make government less secretive, but might streamline access to some records.
"This law really does not expand citizens' access to records," he said. "What it does is help guarantee that they can get access to the few records to which they already are entitled."
Under state and federal law, the public has the right to see many government documents, but officials are allowed to keep some secret, such as reports related to criminal investigations or correspondence related to contract negotiations. The law took effect Thursday.