A state board that oversees public records issues in Wisconsin will revisit a controversial decision made over the summer.
During a meeting in August, the state Public Records Board placed limits on retaining records such as government text messages, which it deemed transitory. The action was included in an index of the committee’s agenda, and was not discovered until months later – after it was used by Governor Scott Walker’s administration to deny the media access to a state official’s text messages dealing with a controversial loan to a business.
The state Freedom of Information Council filed a complaint this week against the board, arguing the action may have violated the state’s open meetings law.
In a statement released Thursday, Board Chair Matthew Blessing said the panel will revisit its decision at an upcoming meeting. “Given the concerns that have been expressed regarding our decisions at the August 24 meeting, we believe it is in everyone’s interest to revisit that discussion about transitory records with clear notice to the public of the intent to address that issue,” he said.
Blessing added that “we hope that this will alleviate any need for the public to suffer the cost of any litigation relating to the verified complaint that was filed with the Dane County District Attorney.”
A date for the meeting has not yet been set.