Alabama governor: Public records to be released promptly on request

By The Associated Press

02.10.03

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Bob Riley's press secretary sent a memo to Cabinet members last week saying public records should be released promptly on request, with no need for agency heads to seek approval first from Riley's legal staff unless there are questions of law.

"Governor Riley said he was going to start a new day in Alabama, and a new day begins with sunshine," press secretary David Azbell said on Feb. 6.

Under Riley's predecessor, Gov. Don Siegelman, news media requests for public records were for a short time routed to Siegelman's press office for approval by his legal adviser. That policy followed a heated exchanged in July 2001 between the press office and Mobile Register reporter Eddie Curran, whose investigative reporting raised questions about how state funds were being handled by the Siegelman administration.

Siegelman aides later relented on the policy, but never did resume direct contact with Curran. The Democratic incumbent lost narrowly to the Republican Riley last year following a campaign in which Riley targeted ethics questions surrounding Siegelman.

Azbell sent the memo to Cabinet heads last week.

"This change in policy is also an attempt to comply with the spirit, as well as the letter, of state open records law while restoring public confidence in the honesty and ethics of their state government," the memo said.

The state's public-records law says every citizen has "a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state," except where expressly forbidden.

Azbell's memo says he will consult with Riley legal adviser Troy King if agencies have any questions about the legality of releasing certain material to the public.

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