HB 256 Modifies provisions relating to the closure of certain records under the Missouri Sunshine Law

     Handler: Kehoe

Current Bill Summary

- Prepared by Senate Research -


CCS/HCS/HBs 256, 33 & 205 - This act modifies provisions of Missouri's open records law, commonly known as the Sunshine Law, regarding bases for closing a record, meeting or vote. Certain bases for closure relating to operational guidelines and security systems expired on December 31, 2012. This act removes the expiration date for such bases. The act adds specific response plans to the operational guideline records that may be closed and provides that financial records related to the procurement of, and expenditures for, such guidelines and plans are open records.

The act creates a new basis for closing the portion of a record that identifies security systems or access codes or authorization codes for security systems of real property.

Currently, any information acquired by a law enforcement agency by way of a complaint or a report using the 911 phone number is inaccessible to the public, with exceptions for certain information. This act adds information acquired by first responder agencies to this provision.

Any records or flight logs pertaining to flights or requests for flights, after such flight has occurred, by any member of the legislative or executive branch shall be open records. This provision only applies to a flight on a state-owned plane.

This act contains an emergency clause for changes to the section concerning the bases for closing of records.

This act is similar to SB 139 (2013), and to a provision in SB 122 (2013) and SB 764 (2012).

JIM ERTLE


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