Lawmakers To Hold Statehouse Hearing On Public Records Bills

BOSTON (AP) — More than a dozen bills related to the state's public records laws are the subject of a hearing at the Massachusetts Statehouse.

Critics have long complained that Massachusetts public records laws are too cumbersome and restrictive.

One bill would require the state to make statements of financial interests filed by public officials available over the Internet while another would allow for the public inspection of records made or received by special state police officers at educational institutions.

Another bill would create a special commission to examine the maintenance, preservation and storage of municipal records while another would make all records now in the custody of the state secretary which are 90 years or older open to public inspection.

The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Statehouse.