Bill > HSB188

Introduced Session

This bill relates to the examination of confidential records by members, agencies, and committees of the general assembly. The bill requires a government body to provide a public record, including a confidential record, to a member, agency, or committee of the general assembly for inspection or duplication if the requestor states that the record is being requested for legislative purposes. The bill allows a government body to require a requestor to sign a confidentiality agreement that the confidential record not be disclosed outside the requesting entity, or within the requesting entity for purposes other than the purpose for which it was received, that the confidential record be labeled as confidential, that the confidential record be kept securely, or that copies of and notes relating to the confidential record be controlled. The bill allows a requestor who is required to sign a confidentiality agreement to request that the attorney general make a determination as to whether the subject of the confidentiality agreement is a confidential record. The bill requires the attorney general to adopt rules to establish deadlines and procedures for receiving information relating to the determination and to issue a written decision regarding whether the public record is a confidential record within 45 business days of receipt of the request. The bill allows a person to appeal the decision of the attorney general to the district court of Polk county. The bill voids a confidentiality agreement signed pursuant to the bill to the extent that it covers a record that is ultimately found to not be a confidential record. H.F. _____ The disclosure of a confidential record to a member, agency, or committee of the general assembly pursuant to the bill does not waive or affect the confidentiality of the information for purposes of state or federal law or waive the right to assert exceptions to required disclosure of the information in the future. By operation of law, civil enforcement provisions (Code section 22.10) apply to government bodies acting in violation of the bill.

Committee Categories

No sponsors listed

Other Sponsors (1)

House Judiciary Committee (10:30:00 2/25/2025 RM 103) (on 02/25/2025)

Official Document