By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
State lawmakers are making a new bid to make it easier for public officials to deny requests for records they believe are “unduly burdensome or harassing.”
The proposal by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, leaves in place existing requirements for records to be open to public inspection. And it spells out that those who are denied access can sue and recover their legal fees.
But SB1019 adds a requirement that the records sought be identified with “reasonable particularity.”
Potentially more significant, it provides public officials with the ability to claim that “the request for access to public records is unduly burdensome or harassing.”
