Indiana Access to Public Records Act
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The Indiana Access to Public Records Act is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of government bodies at all levels in Indiana.
The Indiana Open Door Law legislates the methods by which public meetings are conducted.
[edit] Recent news
[edit] Transparency blocking
- Obey open records law, or else
- Overhauling Indiana government: Part II
- Council votes to stop recording meetings
More transparency blocking news from across the country.
[edit] Litigation
- Official: East Chicago violated records law
- Sunshine Week: Muncie Police Department lowers fee for copies
- Former coroner must turn over records now
More FOIA litigation news from across the country.
[edit] Legislation
- Ind. public access penalty bill likely dead
- Indiana bill to impose access penalties in jeopardy
- Open records law needs changes
More FOIA legislation news from across the country.
[edit] Sunshine Guardians
No recent news. If you have news add it here
Other Sunshine Guardians from across the country.
[edit] Indiana's transparency report card
A 2008 study, BGA - Alper Integrity Index, conducted by the Better Government Association and sponsored by Alper Services, ranked Indiana #29 in the nation with an overall percentage of 51.10%. [1]
A 2007 study, Graded state responsiveness to FOI requests, conducted by BGA and the NFOIC, gave Indiana 59 points out of a possible 100, a letter grade of "F", and a ranking of 14 out of the 50 states.[2]
A 2002 study, Freedom of Information in the USA, conducted by IRE and BGA, ranked Indiana's law as the 13th best in the country, giving it a letter grade of "C".[3]
[edit] Features of the law
"A fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government is that government is the servant of the people and not their master. Accordingly, it is the public policy of the state that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those who represent them as public officials and employees. Providing persons with the information is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of public officials and employees, whose duty it is to provide the information."[4]
[edit] What records are covered?
The act defines public records as essentially any information created, maintained or filed by government agencies.[5] Exemptions include:
- Trade Secrets
- Confidentially information received upon request
- Academic Research
- Licensing information
- Medical Records
- Anything declared exempt by the Supreme Court
- Autopsy photos or videos
- Social Security numbers
- Law enforcement investigation
- Attorney information, when they represent a public agency
- "Records that are intra-agency or interagency advisory or deliberative material, including material developed by a private contractor under a contract with a public agency, that are expressions of opinion or are of a speculative nature, and that are communicated for the purpose of decision making" [5]
- Personal files of employees excluding "the name, compensation, job title, business address, business telephone number, job description, education and training background, previous work experience, or dates of first and last employment of present or former officers or employees of the agency" as well as disciplinary information [5]
- Names of charitable donors
- Library records
- Security measures for telecommunications, schools, and general infrastructure
- Correctional Officer information
- Complaint information within law enforcement agencies as well as job descriptions for officers
- Contact information for Utility employees
- Labor negotiations
However, agencies are required by statute to separate disclosable and non-disclosable information in one source and release the non-exempt material.
[edit] What agencies are covered?
The act defines agencies as any division of the state government including executive, administrative, judicial, or legislative power, as well as all political subdivisions and any organization whose budget is up for review by state officials. The only clear exemptions are medical staffs and committees associated with those staffs, agencies who receive funds from the government in exchange for goods and services. [5]
[edit] Who may request records?
Any person may request public records in Indiana. "[A]ll persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government". [6]
[edit] Must a purpose be stated?
The Indiana APRA specifically states that no request may be refused due to a lack of statement of purpose[5]
[edit] How can records be used?
Limits to use can be established by the individuals departments but must certain around the use of information for commercial uses. Exempted from this commercial use clause are news publications, academic research, and non-profit organization activities. Further, lists of names and addresses and email addresses cannot be used for political or commercial purposes.
[edit] Time allowed for response
- See also: Request response times by state.
The Indiana statute allows for 7 days to process APRA requests.
[edit] Fees for records
The statute only permits fees to be charged for the cost of duplication.
[edit] Open meetings
"It is the intent of this chapter that the official action of public agencies be conducted and taken openly, unless otherwise expressly provided by statute, in order that the people may be fully informed"[7]
[edit] Proposed changes
[edit] Senate Bill 232: Public Access Issues
Senate Bill 232 [8] has been passed by the Indiana Senate Committee on Local Government and the full Senate and was referred to the House on February 24, 2009 .[9] The bill provides for civil penalties of up to $500 against government agencies -- or their individual employees -- tha violate Indiana's Public Records Act or Open Door Law.[9] This bill would allow public agencies or workers who are deemed to have violated the Public Records Act or the Open Door Law to be fined by a judge.[9] Officers or employees of the agencies that are found to be in violation of one of these acts and are thereby assessed fines, which they must pay out of pocket.[9] Any fines assessed against government agencies, however, are paid by the agencies' budget.[9]
The bill also proposes to allow employees and agencies to provide notice of meetings to individuals that request such notice annually.[9] That notice may be provided via email or on the state agency's website forty-eight hours prior to the meeting.[9] This advance notice is currently available to news organizations, and the bill proposes extending the privilege to all citizens.
The bill also allows government agencies to keep information regarding minors under the age of 19 confidential.[9] Currently, individuals that are denied access to public records can take legal action against the employee or agency that refused to disclose the records.[10] The bill proposes the creation of an education fund to provide training for the public and for public officials as to their responsibilities under public access law. [9] Finally, the bill proposes that where a formal complaint is filed regarding the unavailability of a document or redactions within a document, a "public access counselor" is to review the records to determine whether the elimination of information violates public access laws.[9]
The Committee and Senate have both passed the bill; it now moves to the House for a final vote. [9]
[edit] Reaction to the bill
The bill has received a negative response from various groups representing elected officials at the local level, including the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and the Association of Indiana Counties. They argue that the proposed meeting notifications are too time consuming for local governing agencies to comply with, and that the bill may subject government employees to liability and fines for denying open record requests at the direction of their superiors. [10] [11]
The bill has received support from representatives of the Hoosier State Press Association, citizen activists and journalists. In support of the bill, they argue that until now, there have not been any enforcement measures to deal with a government agency that refuses to comply with the law. The Indiana Coalition for Open Government referring to the Public Records Act stated, "An Indiana Code provision that has no enforcement capability is like a toothless dog that barks loud but has no bite," said Fargo, Indiana University journalism professor who serves on the . [11]
Tony Fargo, associate professor of the Indiana University School of Journalism, testified in favor of the bill before the Senate's Local Government Committee. [12] The Indiana Tribune-Star [13], Palladium-Item, [14] and IndyStar.com [15] have all endorsed the bill.
[edit] Senate Bill 32: Notice of Meetings
Senate Bill 32[16] having to do with notice of meetings is related to Senate Bill 232. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Commerce and Public Policy & Interstate Cooperation.[17] The bill requires government agencies to provide notice of meetings to anyone who requests such notice annually. [17] According to the proposed bill, notice may be given by mail five days in advance for any non-emergency meetings for a $10 fee annually. [17]
[edit] Senate Bill 1230: Publication of Notices
Senate Bill 1230[18] having to do with notice of meetings was passed by the Senate Committee on Local Government.[18] The bill includes proposals to require newspapers that publish notice of meetings to include the notice on their website and a proposal to eliminate the requirement for agencies to publish the ordinance setting the salaries of elected city officers.[18]
[edit] Senate Bill 1280: State Budget and Spending Information on Internet
Senate Bill 1280[19] was passed by the Committee on Ways and Means and the full House and has since been referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy. [19] If passed, the bill requires state agencies to report budget information to the state auditor's office so that it can begin to make available online all state expenditures and account balances no later than July 1, 2009. [19]
[edit] Relevant legal cases
- See also: Court cases with an impact on state FOIA
Here is a list of lawsuits in Indiana. For more information go the page or go to Indiana sunshine lawsuits.
(The cases are listed alphabetically. To order them by year please click the icon to the right of the Year heading)
[edit] Notable requests
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Indiana Code link to the Access to Public Records law
- Indiana code link to the Open Door Law
- Open Government Guide to Indiana
- Past articles on Indiana
[edit] References
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