___ PENNSYLVANIA Requests to all four legislative leaders for emails and calendars were denied. Legislative records are narrowly defined under the state's Right-to-Know Law and include financial records, bills, co-sponsorship memos, chamber rules and other documents, but notably, not emails or daily schedules. The Senate letter denying access to those documents noted that making the request of the senators directly rather than through the clerk's office could have delayed the process. The Senate also noted the AP had made very similar requests for correspondence in 2009, with the same negative result. Those two 2009 requests were the first appeals handled under a revamped public-records law that took full effect that year. The governor's office has exercised its right to take up to 35 days to comply with the pending request, and its full response is due by March 17. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat in his second year, has posted his public schedule online, a break from past practice that was apparently a response to an open-records court case. ___ RHODE ISLAND Three of Rhode Island's four top lawmakers and its governor denied requests to release their emails, citing a provision in the state's open records law that exempts elected officials. The same law allows them to voluntarily disclose those emails. But the three lawmakers — two Democrats and one Republican — sent a joint response saying they were "conscious of the chilling effect that voluntary disclosure" would have on constituents if they knew emails were not held in confidence. Only one, Republican Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere, provided printouts of his correspondence with residents and local officials, most of it routine commentary on pending bills. Algiere said he did not include confidential emails, such as those disclosing medical conditions. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed and Gov. Gina Raimondo, all Democrats, disclosed their calendars. The official schedules showed meetings with lobbyists and fellow officials and fundraising events. Republican House Minority Leader Brian Newberry said he does not keep an official calendar, noting that he is a "part-time legislator with a busy law practice." ___ SOUTH CAROLINA Legislative attorneys declined to release personal calendars or emails of South Carolina's top legislators, including the Senate president pro tem, House speaker, and the chambers' majority and minority leaders. The House attorney's response noted that a schedule of the Legislature's public meetings and their agendas are available online. The responses cited a
___ PENNSYLVANIA Requests to all four legislative leaders for emails and calendars were denied. Legislative records are narrowly defined under the state's Right-to-Know Law and include financial records, bills, co-sponsorship memos, chamber rules and other documents, but notably, not emails or daily schedules. The Senate letter denying access to those documents noted that making the request of the senators directly rather than through the clerk's office could have delayed the process. The Senate also noted the AP had made very similar requests for correspondence in 2009, with the same negative result. Those two 2009 requests were the first appeals handled under a revamped public-records law that took full effect that year. The governor's office has exercised its right to take up to 35 days to comply with the pending request, and its full response is due by March 17. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat in his second year, has posted his public schedule online, a break from past practice that was apparently a response to an open-records court case. ___ RHODE ISLAND Three of Rhode Island's four top lawmakers and its governor denied requests to release their emails, citing a provision in the state's open records law that exempts elected officials. The same law allows them to voluntarily disclose those emails. But the three lawmakers — two Democrats and one Republican — sent a joint response saying they were "conscious of the chilling effect that voluntary disclosure" would have on constituents if they knew emails were not held in confidence. Only one, Republican Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere, provided printouts of his correspondence with residents and local officials, most of it routine commentary on pending bills. Algiere said he did not include confidential emails, such as those disclosing medical conditions. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed and Gov. Gina Raimondo, all Democrats, disclosed their calendars. The official schedules showed meetings with lobbyists and fellow officials and fundraising events. Republican House Minority Leader Brian Newberry said he does not keep an official calendar, noting that he is a "part-time legislator with a busy law practice." ___ SOUTH CAROLINA Legislative attorneys declined to release personal calendars or emails of South Carolina's top legislators, including the Senate president pro tem, House speaker, and the chambers' majority and minority leaders. The House attorney's response noted that a schedule of the Legislature's public meetings and their agendas are available online. The responses cited a
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