Missouri AG Proposes Penalty for Violating Records Retention Law

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley is urging lawmakers to make three major changes to how the state enforces its public records laws:

·  First, he’s proposing to create a new division within his office that would have independence when investigating state violators of the Sunshine Law, Missouri’s open records law.

·   Hawley is asking lawmakers for the power to issues subpoenas when investigating public records law cases.

·   And he’s asking the legislature to create a penalty for violating the records retention law, Chapter 109 of Missouri Revised Statues. 

“The records retention law tells agencies and governmental bodies what they need to retain, which then may be later requested for Sunshine review.  Currently, the records retention law has no enforcement provisions in it at all, and no penalties,” Hawley told reporters in Jefferson City. Read more…