OpEd: Bipartisan Bill Overhauls Montana's Right to Know Statute; Impact Remains to be Seen

If a public information request becomes too costly for an individual or organization to pursue, constitutional access to public documents is denied.

On May 8, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law House Bill 100, which was requested by the Department of Administration and sponsored by Rep. Bill Mercer of Billings. The bill amends Montana’s public record laws by defining fees a public agency may charge when responding to a request, setting an hourly fee limit, establishing response deadlines for certain agencies, and creating a private cause of action when the agency fails to meet the deadline.

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