On June, 2024, the Office of Open Records issued a determination in the matter of Frank Curry and FOIA Buddy v. South Western School District that a request made via the FOIA Buddy website was properly denied as an anonymous request. School entities have been receiving Right To Know Law (RTKL) requests in recent months that were made through the FOIA Buddy website. The broad nature … [Read more...] about Office of Open Records Issues First Determination Regarding FOIA Buddy RTKL Requests
Right To Know Law
Commonwealth Court Shields Disclosure of Right to Know Requests for Personal Contact Information
On May 26, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that personal contact information contained in requests submitted under the Right-to-Know Law may be exempted from disclosure. In the unpublished decision, Markey v. Treasury Department, No. 759 C.D. 2021, the court explained that the law is not “a mechanism for an individual to access private or nonpublic information.” The Dispute Last April, … [Read more...] about Commonwealth Court Shields Disclosure of Right to Know Requests for Personal Contact Information
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Holds Evidence of Bad Faith Through Municipal Actions Sanctionable Under Right-to-Know Law
Pursuant to the Right-to-Know-Law, the Commonwealth Court finds a municipality’s unexcused failure to send requested documents until after the Office of Open Records’ ordered deadline, or with redactions, may demonstrate bad faith warranting an imposition of a civil penalty up to $1,500. Background of the Case In McFalls v. Municipality of Norristown, Amy McFalls (“McFalls”) requested documents … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Holds Evidence of Bad Faith Through Municipal Actions Sanctionable Under Right-to-Know Law
PA Supreme Court Protects Student Privacy in Landmark RTKL Decision
The decision, comprised of a plurality opinion and concurring and dissenting opinions, was issued on June 18 and notes that student images contained in school surveillance videos are exempt from disclosure to the public. The decision stems from a 2017 request of a local newspaper for a bus videotape that depicted students upon arrival to school. The newspaper’s interest in the video focused on an … [Read more...] about PA Supreme Court Protects Student Privacy in Landmark RTKL Decision
