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Sponsors say new remedy would curb vexatious public-records requests while preserving access
Summary
House Bill 314 would give local public bodies a county-court remedy for harassing or voluminous public-records requests and allow hiring outside contractors to respond; sponsors said journalists and attorneys would be exempt but members warned the exemption could be abused without clearer definitions.
Sponsors of House Bill 314 told the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 20 the bill is intended to protect local governments from abusive, voluminous public-records requests while preserving legitimate access.
Representative Ray, joined by joint sponsor minority leader Isaacson, described HB 314 as a narrowly tailored remedy that would allow a public body to seek a hearing before a county common pleas (common pleas) court judge to determine whether a requester’s volume or pattern of requests is harassing or obstructive. "This bill is about protection not restriction," Ray said, adding that the measure would allow contracting for outside help on especially large or complex requests and permit the public body to recoup contractor costs from the requester.
Committee members pressed sponsors about the proposed journalistic exemption and the risk of subjective or inconsistent rulings across 88 counties. Representative Stewart said one person’s 'vexatious' requester can be another person’s watchdog and warned the judge-driven remedy might produce divergent outcomes. Sponsors said the remedy intentionally relies on judicial review, likening it to existing vexatious-litigator processes, and indicated committee drafting could better define who qualifies for the media exemption.
Why it matters: Local government staff report being overwhelmed by repeated, voluminous requests that consume personnel time and funds; sponsors argued HB 314 would preserve transparency while protecting offices that are crippled by abusive request patterns.
What comes next: HB 314 received its first hearing and committee discussion; sponsors recommended further committee refinement on definitions, particularly of the media/journalist exemption.
