Right-To-Know Law Disability Accommodations Exception
March 15, 2023 03:59 PM to All Senate Members
Circulated By
Senator Tracy Pennycuick
R Senate District 24
Memo
In the near future, I intend to introduce companion legislation to a measure Rep. Hanbidge is offering, 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.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important and reasonable measure to exempt records used for disability accommodations from public access.
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.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important and reasonable measure to exempt records used for disability accommodations from public access.
Legislation
Document - Introduced as SB 634
Right-To-Know Law Disability Accommodations Exception
March 15, 2023 03:59 PM to All Senate Members
Circulated By
PENNYCUICK
Memo
In the near future, I intend to introduce companion legislation to a measure Rep. Hanbidge is offering, 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.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important and reasonable measure to exempt records used for disability accommodations from public access.
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.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important and reasonable measure to exempt records used for disability accommodations from public access.
Document
Introduced as SB 634
Generated 04/22/2025 12:09 AM