Minnesota data access laws operate on the assumption that government information is to be available to the public. But that doesn’t mean that citizens always have an easy time accessing that information.
An effort by Rep. Gene Pelowski and Sen. Don Betzold creates a quicker and cheaper path for citizens who believe they have not received information in the spirit of the law. The bill would allow citizens who have not received their request to go to an administrative law judge rather than having to go to district court for a decision.
The Minnesota Independent did a thorough write-up of the legislation and the issues surrounding it last week. Have you had an experience accessing data from a government agency? What reforms are needed to ensure access?
Tags: Citizen access, Government Transparency, legislative updates, Rep. Gene Pelowski, Sen. Don Betzold, state legislature, Transparency