Vermont officials charted with examining more than 200 exemptions contained in the state Public Records Act – with an eye toward eliminating some – are set to begin their work.
When the Legislature approved a bill strengthening Vermont’s 35-year-old public records law earlier this year, it included a provision establishing the study committee, which is to report to the Legislature before the start of each legislative session.
The Public Records Legislative Study Committee has its inaugural meeting Wednesday in Montpelier. The group will hear testimony from representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Vermont State Employees Association and the Vermont Council of Developmental and Mental Health Services, among others.
Critics say Vermont’s public records law lacks teeth because it has so many exemptions.