New FOIA bill guts West Virginia’s presumption of transparency

New FOIA bill makes it harder for the public to access information and records

Lawmakers are expanding their rewrite of the state’s Freedom of Information Act, further undermining the law that allows the public to know what their government is doing.

New FOIA bill guts West Virginia’s presumption of transparency

Lawmakers are expanding their rewrite of the state’s Freedom of Information Act, further undermining the law that allows the public to know what their government is doing. It began with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, proposing a bill to exempt the Legislature from West Virginia’s public records law. He argued that it is a good idea for lawmakers to write a separate rule to exclude at least some legislative records from public disclosure. A…