Attempt to bolster secrecy of lawmakers’ emails has died
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BOISE — A bill that would have exempted legislators’ emails from public records will no longer be considered this legislative session.
Rep. Vito Barbieri’s office confirms that HB 233 has been killed. Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens Idaho, was the sponsor of the bill.
HB 233 would have denied public access to legislators’ emails, correspondence within the Legislature and a myriad of legislative documents.
The Idaho Press Club gave the following statement about the bill:
“The Idaho Press Club would strongly oppose this kind of expansion of secrecy in the operations of our state Legislature. We are a group of working journalists. We rely on openness in government and public records to do our job of keeping people informed about their government, a fundamental mission of our free press. The making of laws to govern Idaho is the public’s business, and we believe it should remain so.”
The bill was originally presented before the State Affairs committee March 2.