SB57 Alabama 2020 Session
In Committee
Bill Summary
Sponsors
Session
Regular Session 2020
Title
Public records, to create a new Open Records Act, Secs. 36-12-40, 36-12-41 am'd.
Description
<p class="bill_description"> This bill would repeal existing law
providing access to public records and replace it
with a new Alabama Public Records Act with
provisions establishing the rights of citizens to
access public records, enumerating exceptions to
disclosure, establishing procedures for making and
responding to requests for access, setting the
charges associated with responding to requests,
establishing a Public Access Counselor within the
Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts,
creating administrative and judicial remedies, and
establishing civil penalties for noncompliance</p><p class="bill_entitled_an_act"> Relating to public records; to repeal Sections
36-12-40 and 36-12-41, Code of Alabama 1975; to establish the
Alabama Public Records Act; to require governmental bodies of
this state to adopt rules allowing each citizen to inspect and
take a copy of any public record upon a request made in
accordance with this act; to require governmental bodies to
designate a custodian of records; to provide for exemptions to
disclosure; to establish special access to documents
determined to be of historical value by the State Records
Commission; to establish procedures to access public records;
to establish what charges could be assessed for access to
public records; to create the position of Public Access
Counselor within the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public
Accounts; to grant the public access counselor authority to
decide requests from custodians for additional time to comply
with records requests; to establish administrative procedures
to appeal denials of access to records; to create procedures
for judicial enforcement of public record access rights; to
create civil penalties for failing to comply with the act; and
to provide an absolute privilege and immunity for the
publication of defamatory statements or invasions of privacy
contained in records produced pursuant to a request for
access.
</p>
Subjects
Public Records
Bill Actions
| Action Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| February 4, 2020 | S | Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Governmental Affairs |
Bill Calendar
| Type | Date | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearing | March 10, 2020 | TUESDAY Room 825 ***TIME CHANGE*** at 12:30 | Senate GA Public Hearing |
| Hearing | March 10, 2020 | TUESDAY Room 825 **Added 3 bills, took a bill off** at 13:00 | Senate GA Public Hearing |
| Hearing | March 10, 2020 | TUESDAY Room 825 **Public hearing added, bill removed** at 13:00 | Senate GA Public Hearing |
| Hearing | March 10, 2020 | Room 825 TUESDAY at 13:00 | Senate GA Hearing |
| Hearing | February 25, 2020 | Room 825 **REMOVED 2 BILLS** at 13:00 | Senate GA Public Hearing |
| Hearing | February 25, 2020 | Room 825 at 13:00 | Senate GA Public Hearing |
| Hearing | February 25, 2020 | Room 825 at 13:00 | Senate GA Hearing |
Bill Text
Bill Documents
| Type | Link |
|---|---|
| Bill Text | SB57 Alabama 2020 Session - Introduced |