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House approves GRAMA amendments after debate over privacy and fees
Summary
The House passed a substitute to the Government Records Access Management Act (GRAMA) with amendments to delay implementation, protect sensitive negotiations and allow limited court relief. Debate focused on privacy, local fees for copies and the fiscal impact of implementation.
The House passed substitute House Bill 400, a series of amendments to the Government Records Access Management Act (GRAMA) that Representative Martin I. Stevens said would move the law's implementation date and refine confidentiality and fee provisions.
"This is the Government Records Access Management Act. It has the acronym of Grama," Stevens said in describing the substitute and the string of technical and substantive amendments. Key floor amendments clarified the definition of governmental entities, carved out protections for confidential business negotiations, and allowed an agency or political subdivision to seek limited court relief to keep certain records closed temporarily.
Floor debate addressed privacy protections and the cost of the new law. Representative Huitepi (name transcribed as Uefi earlier) asked about fees that political subdivisions might set; Stevens said local elected officials should be accountable for fees and that the Legislature had not set uniform copy fees for all jurisdictions. Members also cited fiscal notes: an initial fiscal estimate had ranged widely, and Stevens said prior start-up costs explained discrepancies in earlier projections.
Representative Lewis offered and withdrew a friendly amendment clarifying legislative intent language so the bill would not create unexpected presumptions. After extended discussion and several adopted pink‑sheet amendments, the House approved the substitute bill 57–5 and forwarded it to the Senate.
