JEFFERSON CITY
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley on Monday announced three proposals to strengthen the state’s open-records laws that he hopes legislators will pass in the coming months.
Hawley, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, is asking lawmakers to create a transparency division in the attorney general’s office; to grant the attorney general’s office subpoena power in open-records investigations; and to create penalties for violating the state’s record retention laws.
He announced the proposals alongside representatives of the Missouri Press Association.
“The people of Missouri deserve an open, honest and transparent government,” Hawley said. “Open-records laws ensure that Missourians and the press can hold government accountable. It is time to update these laws so that they stay current with our ever-changing needs and technology in our modern world.” Read more…