AUGUSTA ( AP) — The House has rejected a bill allowing the governor to keep more written records private, a proposal that drew opposition from open records advocates.
By a 98-47 vote Thursday afternoon, representatives rejected a bill that would create an exception in Maine’s public records law for proposed legislation, reports and working papers of the governor and the governor’s office. Supporters said it creates a parallel to the Legislature’s public records exception in existing law.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine says the bill would have clouded transparency that’s important to a democracy. The Maine Press Association, Common Cause and the Maine Association of Broadcasters also opposed the measure.
The bill faces a second vote in the House.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less