The bill seeks to amend the General Laws in Chapter 38-2, which pertains to "Access to Public Records," by revising the definitions and conditions under which records are considered public. It introduces a broad definition of "public record" to include various forms of recorded information, such as electronic data and emails, but excludes emails related to the official correspondence of elected officials. The bill also specifies records that are not public, including those with attorney-client privilege, doctor-patient confidentiality, personal information protected by law, and other sensitive data.

Key insertions in the bill include the protection of city or town residence information for peace officers, justices, judges, and magistrates, ensuring that such information is not deemed public. The bill clarifies that pension records are open to public inspection, barring medical details and the identity of beneficiaries not receiving benefits. It also lists numerous types of records that are exempt from public disclosure, such as test questions, real estate appraisals, tax returns, investigatory records, individual test scores, and various records required to be kept confidential by law. The act is set to be effective immediately upon passage, and while the text does not explicitly mark insertions or deletions, it is indicated that the exemption of residence information for certain judicial officials is a new provision.

Statutes affected:
7758: 38-2-2