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Lawmakers weigh whether taxpayer‑funded local government associations should be open to public‑records requests
Summary
Members of the public and some legislators urged the committee to make associations funded with public dollars subject to public‑records and public‑meetings laws. Associations and many municipal leaders warned of constitutional risks, legal exposure and operational burdens; the committee asked stakeholders to continue discussions.
A draft bill would have expanded the Public Records Act to cover “local government associations” whose membership is composed exclusively of political subdivisions, drawing sharp testimony on both sides.
Bob Bonner, publisher and Wyoming Press Association member, told the committee the legislature’s first job is to protect citizens from government abuse and that public money spent on private associations warrants transparency. “We need to motivate local governments to fully comply with this law and quit playing games with transparency,” Bonner said.
Association leaders and many municipal officials countered that member‑funded associations…
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