In the near future, I intend to reintroduce last session’s SB 634 which will exempt certain disability accommodations from the Commonwealth’s Right-To-Know Law.  

Exempting certain sensitive records from public access is an important feature of the Right-To-Know Law. As it is currently written though, the law does not address sensitive records produced or used to accommodate a disability.

For example, the mayor of a community in my district is deaf and uses a device when in executive session to generate a visual transcript of the conversation. There is a concern that this transcript may be subject to a right-to-know request as it is a written document of communication.

That is why I am proposing legislation amending the Right-To-Know Law to create a specific exception covering disability accommodations. My bill exempts reference notes and working papers prepared by or for a public official or public employee that are used to accommodate an individual’s disability.

SB 634 passed the Senate unanimously last session.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this important and reasonable measure to exempt records used for disability accommodations.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0389: P.L.6, No.3