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Senate committee advances security-only FOIA exemption after heated questions on retroactivity
Summary
The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 10, a narrowed security-only exemption to public-records law that allows redaction of security-related communications for the governor and other officials; supporters cited operational safety, while critics warned the retroactive clause creates an appearance of secrecy.
The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 10 by voice vote, advancing the measure that narrows an earlier proposal to a security-only exemption from public-records disclosure. The bill would allow redaction of security-related details about the governor, other constitutional officers and members of the General Assembly; the measure was described by its sponsor as protecting operational security.
Senator Hester, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure had been pared back to focus on security and said the change was necessary to "protect our constitutional officers and their workings with the Arkansas State Police." He added the bill "redacts" details that could harm security operations and said committee members had spent many hours refining the language.
Supporters and government witnesses said the exemption is narrowly tailored to operational details that could aid a bad…
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