Bill > LD1683

This bill amends the Freedom of Access Act (FOAA), a law that governs public access to government records, to provide a mechanism for citizens to obtain public records without paying fees. Specifically, if a public records request is accompanied by a petition signed by at least 150 registered voters in the state making the same request, the government agency or official in possession of the records must provide those records at no charge to the requestor. Additionally, the bill requires that the agency provide an update on the status of the request every 30 working days, which is a change from the current law that only requires a "good faith effort" to comply with the request. This provision aims to increase transparency and accountability by ensuring that large-scale public information requests are processed more efficiently and without financial barriers, potentially making government information more accessible to citizens who can demonstrate significant public interest in a particular set of records.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1683&snum=132