PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS COMING TO LAWS REGARDING OHIO PUBLIC RECORDS. 
THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER CALLS IT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ALTERATION TO OHIO PUBLIC RECORDS LAW IN MORE THAN 25 YEARS. TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS BERTWEEN OHIO LAWMAKERS AND AMONG THEIR STAFF WILL NOW BE EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC RECORDS DISCLOSURE FOR AS LONG AS TWENTY-FOUR MONTHS. THE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THE CHANGES ARE SIMILAR TO NEW FEDERAL LAWS. PROPONENTS SAY IT ALLOWS LEGISLATORS TO OPERATE WITHOUT FEAR OF PUBLIC SCRUTINY. OPPONENTS SAY IT ELIMINATES TRANSPARENCY AND ALLOWS LEGISLATORS TO FUNCTION UNDER A VEIL OF SECRECY MAKING PREVENTIVE MEASURES UNTENABLE.