Dear Angie, Bina, Blake, Charles, Delene, Dylan, Erin, Faith, George, Janelle, Jill, Jordan, Josh, Joy, Kelly, Kyle, Maggie, Michele, Nathan, and Ryan, Thank you. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to work with you over the past six years. I cannot imagine a better team. Over that time, the OOR has resolved nearly … Continue reading An Open Letter to the Staff at the OOR
Earlier today, I sent the following letter to Gov. Tom Wolf. *** January 11, 2021 The Honorable Tom Wolf Governor Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 508 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 Re: Office of Open Records Dear Governor Wolf, Thank you for the tremendous support you and your administration have provided to the Office of Open … Continue reading Letter to Governor Wolf
Today (Mon., Jan. 11, 2021) at 2 p.m., I will host a webinar about the Right-to-Know Law designed for requesters, including members of the media and anyone interested in accessing government records in Pennsylvania. This webinar will be held via Zoom. You can find all the details you need to join on the OOR’s training … Continue reading Today at 2 p.m. – RTKL Webinar for Requesters
The OOR’s Citizens’ Guide to the Right-to-Know Law and Sunshine Act is an introduction to these two laws, both of which promote government transparency. The Citizens’ Guide has been completely rewritten and the new version is available now. The RTKL, also known as the open records law, grants access to public records. The Sunshine Act, … Continue reading New Citizens’ Guide to the RTKL and Sunshine Act
The Office of Open Records has posted two new draft sample forms and is seeking public comment on both. The Right-to-Know Law and other statutes make various records public, including certain records from law enforcement agencies and county coroners. The OOR often dockets appeals involving these types of records. In an effort to help these … Continue reading 2 New Draft Sample Forms for Public Comment
Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law gives county District Attorneys the responsibility of appointing an appeals officer to decide RTKL appeals “relating to access to criminal investigative records in possession of a local agency of that county.” District Attorneys have been doing this since the RTKL went into effect at the start of 2009. Until now, there has … Continue reading OOR to Post Final Determinations from District Attorneys
I’m exited to announce that the Office of Open Records will soon start sending a new email newsletter called Court Filings Update — and you you can sign up for it now. The newsletter will be sent regularly, generally multiple times each week, and it will include information about appeals and associated documents filed in … Continue reading Court Filings Update – New Email Newsletter
The first post was made to this Office of Open Records blog on June 25, 2015. Since then, as executive director of the OOR, I’ve posted here about a wide variety of topics related to the OOR, court decisions, legislation, RTKL training resources, and much more. Pageviews on this blog have been relatively consistent through … Continue reading Pageviews on OOR Blog Surged in 2020
The Office of Open Records has posted an updated draft of its regulations. The current draft regulations, the previous draft regulations, and information about the regulations and the regulatory process can be found here.
The Court of Common Pleas in Westmoreland County recently ordered officials from the City of Monessen to attend Sunshine Act training provided by the Office of Open Records. In the opinion and order, Judge Harry F. Smail, Jr., discussed a public meeting held by the City at which “there was absolutely no opportunity for public … Continue reading Court Orders Sunshine Act Training
| Docket | Date | Title | County | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20202716 | 01/22/2021 | Christopher Finan and Mt Bethel Fire Co v. Upper Mt Bethel Township | Northampton | Withdrawn |
| 20202713 | 01/22/2021 | Keith Knauss v. Lower Merion School District | Montgomery | Denied |
| 20202654 | 01/22/2021 | James Gray v. City of Philadelphia Law Department | Philadelphia | Denied |
| 20202642 | 01/22/2021 | Andrew Swain and Swain Law Firm, PC v. Bensalem Township Police Department | Bucks | Transferred |
| 20202487 | 01/22/2021 | Andrew Holman and Americans for Fair Treatment v. Jackson Township | Greene | Granted |
| 20202728 | 01/21/2021 | William Halcovage v. Pennsylvania Board of Pardons | Commonwealth | Denied: Moot |
| 20202555 | 01/21/2021 | George Bochetto and Bochetto & Lentz, P.C. v. Pittsburgh City | Allegheny | Partially Granted/Partially Denied |
| Date | Organization | |
|---|---|---|
| January 27, 2021, 10:00 AM | Basics of the Right to Know Law | |
| February 3, 2021, 10:00 AM | Basics of the Sunshine Act | |
| February 10, 2021, 10:00 AM | The Right to Know Law for Law Enforcement | |
| February 17, 2021, 10:00 AM | RTKL and Payment Issues | |
| February 24, 2021, 10:00 AM | AOROs: Preparing Affidavits for Appeals Webinar | |
| March 10, 2021, 10:00 AM | Laws That Protect Information |
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