OHIO SENATE Bill addresses public-record requests

The proposal gives public offices 10 to 15 days to honor record requests.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
COLUMBUS -- State Sen. Marc Dann says he got the run-around from state offices usually reserved for journalists, public activists and concerned citizens.
He filed a request Jan. 15 for public records with Gov. Bob Taft's office, the Office of Budget and Management, and the Ohio Department of Taxation seeking documents related to state budget revenue and expenditure estimates from August 2002 to that date. Dann, of Liberty, D-32nd, received information from only the Department of Taxation.
According to state law, records requests for public information are to be turned over to the party seeking it "within a reasonable amount of time."
It is a practice of some government agencies to exploit that provision and delay turning over information because the amount of time provided in the law isn't specific, Dann said.
"There isn't an objective standard," Dann said. "Do I, as a sitting member of the Senate, have to sue the governor and an executive agency to get them to respect the law? We need to have a more open government because government agencies take advantage of the vagueness of the law."
Proposed measure
With that in mind, Dann has introduced a bill requiring public offices or people responsible for public records to provide copies of public records within 10 days after receiving the request in person, or within 15 days if the requested information is mailed.
"Under almost any circumstances, 10 to 15 days is reasonable," Dann said. "This is sort of a first offer in terms of what the bill should say. I'm open to input and ideas about how to make it more responsive to citizens."
Dann wanted to use the information he requested to help him with a February vote on the state budget correction bill. At the time, Taft's credibility was being questioned by Republicans and Democrats because the state's budget deficit grew from $50 million before Taft's re-election in November to $720 million in January.
"The public had a right to have that part of the debate," Dann said. "If the governor lied about it, can we trust the governor on other issues? If he didn't, then the public ought to know that. He's got some reasonable proposals floating on the state budget and nobody believes him."
Referral expected
Dann expects the bill to be referred to the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee, of which he is the ranking Democratic member.
The bill's three co-sponsors are: Sen. Kevin Coughlin of Cuyahoga Falls, R-27th, and chairman of the government and veteran affairs committee; Sen. Dan Brady of Cleveland, D-23rd, a member of the committee; and Sen. Ray Miller of Columbus, D-15th, the Senate's assistant minority leader.
skolnick@vindy.com