Legislation makes access to public records more affordable

Fort Collins Coloradoan Editorial

3/22/07

      Gov. Ritter has an opportunity to right some wrongs regarding access to public records by signing a bill that has reached his desk.

      Senate Bill 45 would reduce the amount that government entities in Colorado can charge for accessing copies of public records from $1.25 a page - the highest charge in the nation - to a more reasonable 25 cents per page.

      The bill received enormous support among state lawmakers; it passed unanimously in the Senate and by a 61-3 vote in the House. Fort Collins lawmakers Steve Johnson, Randy Fischer, Bob Bacon and John Kefalas all voted in favor of the legislation.

      Current Colorado law has created a prohibitive atmosphere that may have prevented some residents from gaining access because they can't afford copying charges.

      Meanwhile, the inflated charges had become a revenue source for government agencies, veritably evolving into a public records tax by allowing them to charge residents fees for what already rightfully belonged to them. Colorado law allows government entities to charge between $15 and $20 an hour to research, compile and copy public records within some guidelines. That rule will stand.

      While news organizations seeking such records will benefit from the lower fee, reducing the per-page cost will benefit ordinary citizens who seek such records the most, said Ed Otte, executive director of the Colorado Press Association.

      Ritter would be wise to remove this barrier to open government by signing Senate Bill 45.