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Committee hears extensive debate on coroner records/FOIA bill; sponsor withdraws after opposition
Summary
A bill to standardize coroner records and restrict premature release under FOIA drew law‑enforcement, coroners and press testimony; after extensive debate and stated opposition by media representatives, the sponsor withdrew the bill from consideration.
Senator Bledsoe presented legislation drafted to provide a standard "road map" for coroners about what records to release under the Freedom of Information Act and to limit premature release of investigative material that could impede law enforcement.
Proponents — including county attorneys and law‑enforcement representatives — said inconsistent practices among the state's 75 coroners created investigation and privacy problems. County attorney George Spence described repeated, varied responses by coroners to broad data requests and said a consistent statutory framework would help. Sheriff Scott Bradley and other law‑enforcement witnesses said premature release of coroner or crime‑lab information "could impede our investigation" and harm prosecutions. Kevin Cleghorn, Saline County coroner and president of the Arkansas Coroners Association, emphasized family privacy and recounted contacting grieving families who were upset to learn reports about their relatives’ deaths had been released under FOIA requests.
Opponents included press representatives and other media stakeholders; the transcript records the press and a FOIA task force did not endorse the amendments as presented. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the need to balance transparency with privacy and investigative integrity.
After an extended hearing that included technical legal background and impassioned appeals on both sides, Senator Bledsoe asked to withdraw the bill "at your discretion," and the chair allowed its withdrawal without objection.
What happened next: The bill was withdrawn to allow additional work and potential amendment; committee members asked stakeholders to confer on middle‑ground solutions. No vote on the merits occurred.
