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Bill would exempt military service from public disclosure
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Documents related to an individual’s active military service would be exempt from disclosure under the state’s public-records laws, under legislation being considered in the Ohio House.
Rep. Rick Perales, R-Beavercreek, offered House Bill 423 to protect military men and women who also are public employees.
“This bill intends to provide military families with the security, privacy and peace of mind they deserve while their family members serve away from home,” Perales told the House’s State Government Committee this week, where the legislation had its initial hearing.
The state’s current public-records laws do not address military deployment or other records. Those documents often end up in public employees’ personnel files, which are open to public review, however.
HB 423 would add “orders for active military service” or related documents to the list of records exempt from Ohio’s public-records laws.
“As a former military member, I know firsthand how difficult it is to leave your family behind and head overseas,” Perales said. “When you first receive that letter, your mind races with the potential outcomes that you could face during your tour of duty. It is incredibly important to mentally prepare yourself for that time away from your family in a potentially life-threatening situation. If you are worried about the well-being of your loved ones back home, it’s impossible to focus on your job. When you are not focused on the mission, you compromise not only your safety but also the safety of your colleagues in the field.”
Perales said he was open to considering an amendment, suggested by Rep. Mike Curtin, D-Marble Cliff, to include a sunset provision in the legislation, allowing access to the documents decades in the future, for historic purposes.