Legislators continue to hide their documents

Which South Carolina legislators want to hide their e-mails, letters, memo’s and documents from the public?

I don’t know for sure, but a bill that will require them to disclose their documents is on the “contested” calendar in the SC House of Representatives.

That means somebody doesn’t want it to pass!

H3235 will remove the legislative exemption from the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, commonly known as FOIA.

But, we’ve got to act fast if we are going to get it done this year.

May 1st is the deadline!

So contact your House member today and tell them to bring H3235 to a vote this week!

You can find your House member and his contact information at this link.

South Carolina’s FOIA law requires that all government agencies turn over their documents when requested by the public.  This is a critical tool for exposing corruption, influence and graft.

However, South Carolina’s legislature wrote an exemption to this law for their selves.

They are the only government agency in all of South Carolina that is not required to follow that law.  That includes county and city governments, school boards, and all the hosts of boards and commissions at every level of government.

Even the Governor is not exempt from the FOIA law.

I guess the legislature wants to protect their cult of secrecy and back room dealing.

Well, that is about to change, if H3235 becomes law!

H3235 will eliminate the legislative exemption in the SC FOIA law.

They will be required to hand over their letters, e-mails, and documents just the same as all the rest of South Carolina’s governments and agencies.

And why shouldn’t they?

Any legislator who fights against this bill just wants to protect the status quo!

There is no good reason for a legislator to refuse to disclose their papers!

Contact your South Carolina House member today and demand that they pass H3235 this week and remove the legislative exemption from the SC FOIA law.

You can find your House member and his contact information at this link.

We only have until May 1st to get this bill passed out of the House and into the Senate.

So call today!

May 1st is the “cross over” date.  Any bill that doesn’t “cross over” from one chamber to the next by this day takes a 2/3 majority vote to pass.

Let’s don’t miss the cross over date.

Contact your South Carolina House member today!

Tell him to make sure there is a vote on H3235 before May 1st!

And, make sure he votes for the bill!

Don’t take NO for an answer!

Thanks for all you do!

Best regards,

Talbert Black, Jr.

P.S. H3235 will remove the ridiculous exemption that the legislature wrote for themselves that allows them to hide their letters, e-mails, and other documents from public examination.  These documents are critical to investigations of corruption, influence and graft.

Every other body of government in the state of South Carolina must obey the Freedom of Information Act.  If H3235 becomes law, the legislature will also have to obey this law.  Contact your House member today and demand that they pass H3235 this week.  May 1st is the deadline for getting this done.  We have no time to waste.

You can find your House member and his contact information at this link.