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Oregon Public Records and Public Meeting Manual: Online or Not?

Records flap has ironic twist: Activists publish the state?s public records manual on the Internet over the Justice Department?s objections, by David Steves, The Register-Guard, appeared in print: Wednesday, Sep 23, 2009.

Excerpt: ?Right-to-know advocates are defying Oregon?s attorney general by putting a restricted government document on the Web for everyone to see.

But the document at the center of this dispute isn?t a sensitive record such as a list of Oregonians? Social Security numbers or names of concealed-handgun-permit holders.

Rather, it?s the state?s Public Records and Meetings Manual ? a bland legal guide updated by the state every two years to help the public and the media gain access to government documents and attend public meetings. The state Justice Department, which publishes the 11/2-inch-thick paperback book, doesn?t want it posted on the Internet by others.

Until now, the only way to get the guide has been to buy it from the state for $25?.? (link to full story)

This ?flap? is reminiscent of the one over the ORS, which was resolved by the Oregon Legislature in 2008 after a hearing. Other OLR blog posts on the subject of the Oregon Public Records Manual.

Full post as published by Oregon Legal Research on September 24, 2009 (boomark / email).