By Ray Stern || The Arizona Republic
New rules that allow Arizona’s lawmakers to destroy emails after 90 days and delete text messages as quickly as they receive them are drawing criticism from Democrats and a public records watchdog.
Republicans in the Legislature approved the new rules along party lines this week, while also limiting debate time between lawmakers on the floor of the House to 30 minutes per bill. Each member could explain their rationale for making a vote for “up to three minutes,” the rules state.
While limiting debate could constrain discussion about how proposed laws would affect Arizonans, destroying public records at a faster pace — or not retaining them at all — could leave the public in the dark about how elected officials are using their powers.
“There should be a constitutional right of access” to such records instead of a destruction policy, said Gregg Leslie, executive director of the First Amendment Clinic at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. “Those records have important information about the legislative business that’s conducted. The public has a right to know what is there.”
