Q & amp;A What the law says

Test your knowledge of Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law:
Q. True or false: The Right-to-Know Law governs all access to government records in Pennsylvania.
A. False. Access is addressed in other laws as well, including the Criminal History Record Information Act, the Procurement Code and in regulations issued by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Prior court decisions also play a key role.
Q. Can the public find out how much money government workers make?
A. Yes, although the request may have to be posed as a written document request.
Q. Can records requests be made anonymously?
A. Yes, but agencies can insist on having it put in writing and having to know the requester's identity.
Q. Agencies must respond to Right-to-Know requests within a) 5 days, b) 10 days, c) 30 days?
A. All the above. Local governments have five days to respond and state agencies get 10 days. Both may seek 30-day extensions under certain circumstances.
Q. Can ignoring a Right-to-Know request constitute a crime?
A. Yes, amendments passed in 2002 classified egregious violations as summary offenses that carry fines of up to $300 plus legal costs. Civil penalties can be imposed of up to $300 a day.
Q. Which of the following government records are public: a) settlement agreements, b) hospital records, c) 911 tapes, d) arrest records, e) birth certificates?
A. a, d.
Source: Pa. Newspaper Association