Democratic State Senator Dick Harpootlian has just proposed new legislation that would make it illegal for any local or state agencies to hold any kind of private meetings.
And that doesn’t only include backroom meetings behind closed doors.
Any emails or other digital correspondence would also be included under the legislation’s umbrella, ostensibly making all communications public record.
Arguing for the bill, Harpootlian said there is no reason why folks shouldn’t know who is pulling the strings.
Specifically, the bill would eliminate the twenty-plus exemptions that apply to the states Freedom of Information Act – otherwise known as FOIA – which allows the 170 members of the South Carolina General Assembly to avoid sharing certain correspondences, such as emails, with the public.
The bill would also eliminate the six reason that government officials can cite as rationale for a secret meeting behind closed doors.
