(Host) The state employees union has won a legal victory in its effort to view public records from the Douglas Administration.
A Superior Court judge says the state is not allowed to charge the union $1,300 to view state documents.
Abigail Winters is associate general counsel for the Vermont State Employees Association.
(Winters) "This is a really important ruling. For one thing, it makes clear what we believed all along, which is that the public records act does not allow charges to inspect public records. It only allows charges if you ask for copies of public records. And so the importance of this is that now Vermonters generally will all be able to access and inspect these documents without being charged for it."
(Host) The union wants to view records on the firing last year of a wildlife scientist. It had also sought documents and emails from the Human Resources Department relating to computer software the state used to monitor employee internet use.
The VSEA plans to examine the records soon. The attorney general’s office has not decided yet whether to appeal.