State Representatives Sharon Ray and Dani Isaacsohn have introduced a bill aimed at curbing frivolous public records requests in Ohio. The proposed legislation seeks to limit requests that are intended to harass or disrupt the work of public officials and their offices.
The bill proposes to provide public offices with a mechanism to address such requests if they believe them to be harassing or disruptive. Representative Ray stated, “My hope is that this legislation will strike the perfect balance between ensuring transparency and protecting public officials and their offices from unwarranted requests.”
Representative Isaacsohn emphasized the importance of maintaining access to information, saying, “Safeguarding the public’s right to access important information is crucial for a healthy democracy. This legislation is a sensible way to ensure those records requests stay true to their purpose, without overloading public employees with unnecessary or frivolous demands.”
The bill has yet to receive a number and be assigned to a House committee for further consideration.
