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Proposed changes shore up state's public information law

House should move bills to Senate to ensure passage this year

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Changes to the state's public information law might be in jeopardy this session if House members don't speed up.

That would be unfortunate because the proposed changes to the state's Freedom of Information Act would hold public officials more accountable for what they do behind closed doors and make it quicker and cheaper to obtain documents .

They would cut the wait for documents by more than half and reduce the cost of copying to the prevailing rate at a commercial business center. The time for state and local governments to respond to public requests for records would be cut from 15 days to seven, and the cost of copies could be reduced by 90 percent in some cases, but at least cut in half in many cases.

South Carolina also would join Georgia in requiring that the chairman of a public body sign a statement certifying that the group discussed in an executive session only what the group said it would. Another bill would clarify that chance or social gatherings of a majority of any public body would be a public meeting.

The proposals were prompted in part by a survey last fall of nearly 200 members of county councils and school boards and an audit of police agencies' handling of report requests. The audit by the S.C. Press Association and member newspapers found that a quarter of elected

officials who responded said they had spoken on topics in executive sessions beyond what they had told the public they would discuss. The survey also showed three-quarters of those officials are willing to sign affidavits swearing they stayed on track. And it found that a third of police departments visited would not provide the criminal incident reports the law requires them to show the public, and those that did charged as much as $6 for the reports, usually just a couple of pages.

Changes advocated by the Press Association cleared a subcommittee Wednesday and were sent to the House Judiciary Committee, but unless they go to the Senate by May 1, it's unlikely they will be considered this session and will die.

The operations of government should be as transparent to the public as possible. That's easier to do today. A lot of information is being posted on government Web sites, making it readily available to the public. But in many instances, the free flow of information is still too slow. Too many government agencies use the 15-day rule to inhibit the process.

The recommendations before the House Judiciary Committee should be expedited so the Senate has a chance not only to consider them, but also to pass them this year.