This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary to implement statutory changes recommended by the Right to Know Advisory Committee. The joint standing committee has not taken a position on the substance of this bill. By reporting this bill out, the joint standing committee is not suggesting and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or disagrees with any aspect of this bill; instead, the committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of having a bill printed that can be referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in the normal course. The joint standing committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of the proposals contained in the bill. The bill permits a body or agency or official to deny a series of requests for inspection or copying of a public record on the basis that the series of requests is unduly burdensome or oppressive. The bill also allows a body, agency or official to seek protection from a request or series of requests that is unduly burdensome or oppressive by filing an action for an order of protection in the Superior Court for the county where the request or series of requests was made. The action must be filed within 60 days of the receipt of the request or, in the case of a series of requests, within 60 days of the point at which a body, agency or official determines that the series of requests is unduly burdensome or oppressive.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1827, HP 1222: 1.408