Committee debates public-records ordinance amendment over redaction fees; referral recorded

Committee members on Jan. 28 debated an amendment to Madison General Ordinance section 3.7, which would update city public-records procedures and — as drafted — allow charging requesters for staff time spent redacting law-enforcement audio and video following a new state statute.

City Attorney Haas told the committee that the draft ordinance "would essentially enact" the new state statute permitting municipalities to charge for redaction of law enforcement recordings, a change from prior practice that allowed charging only to locate records but not to redact them. Haas said a substitute removing the redaction-charging language is being drafted at the mayor’s request and may be considered later.

Committee members questioned why the item appeared on the Executive Committee agenda while it was also scheduled for the Public Safety Review Committee (PSRC). Staff and alders discussed referral timing: the ordinance was listed for PSRC on Feb. 12 and CCC on Feb. 25 with return to the full council on Feb. 25, according to the registrar. Several members said the item should follow the council’s referral rules. The chair and other members agreed to defer substantive action until scheduling and technical questions were resolved.

A motion to refer the item was made and recorded by the chair as a unanimous referral to return to the committee on Feb. 25. The transcript does not provide a numerical roll-call tally for that referral.

The committee also noted that Public Safety Review Committee would receive the item on Feb. 12, and staff indicated that a substitute ordinance could remove the redaction fee language and be considered at a later date.

Votes at a glance: referral to CCC on Feb. 25 was recorded as unanimous; no numerical tally was given in the transcript.