Central PA United Hosts Right-to-Know Workshop

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.

Central PA United helped area residents learn how to access public records and better understand Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law during a workshop held Sept. 4.

The Right-to-Know Request Workshop was designed to teach participants how to obtain public communications, documents and data from state and local government entities.

Central PA United describes itself as an independent organization working to empower working-class people and help residents take ownership of their individual and collective power.

During the workshop, participants learned how Right-to-Know requests can be used as a tool to increase government transparency and accountability. The training was intended to give attendees the knowledge needed to conduct requests of their own.

The workshop also provided participants with background on Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law. Major reforms to the law were passed in 2008, with the revamped law taking effect in 2009. The changes established an appeals process for denied requests and generally made government records public unless an agency could show why they should be withheld.

Participants learned when filing a request may be appropriate, including when information that should be publicly available cannot be found, when residents receive conflicting answers or when they suspect actions may be occurring behind the scenes.

The workshop also walked attendees through the process of filing a request, beginning with identifying the Right-to-Know officer for the government entity from which records are being sought.

Requests can seek government documents and emails, along with text messages, call logs and certain social media communications involving government business. Participants were also introduced to the standard request form available through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

Attendees also learned that government agencies must respond to a request within five business days by granting or denying the request.

The workshop addressed why some requests may be denied or records withheld, including certain personal information, attorney-client privilege, internal deliberations or instances in which requested records do not exist.

The training concluded by giving participants an opportunity to practice what they learned. Attendees selected a public entity, located its Right-to-Know procedures and began putting together a request of their own.