The Office of Open Records (OOR) recently issued an email notice to agency open records officers in response to inquiries about a number of appeals related to Right to Know requests that originated with the FOIA Buddy website. What is FOIA Buddy FOIA Buddy purports to offer a service to “simplify the process of requesting public records.” It appears that one can submit records … [Read more...] about OOR Highlights Concerns Regarding Right to Know Requests
RTK
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 In the unpublished decision, Markey v. Treasury Department, No. 759 C.D. 2021, the court explained that the law is not “a mechanism for an individual to access private or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
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
