Utah passes law restricting FOIA requests, will other states enact similar legislation?

The Utah statehouse was teeming with protesters last night, even as the governor put his signature on a new "transparency" law that would severely restrict public access to government records.

Citing in recent days a need to protect lawmakers' and constituent privacy, the Utah legislature pounced on a bill that would restrict the public's access to government records, passing it in record time and catching detractors off-guard.

Even as the public had just begin to mobilize against the legislation, the state's governor announced last night that it was a done deal.

"The bill was introduced on March 2 in the Utah House and two days later, it passed the Utah Senate. After that, it was lobbed to the governor’s desk with the expectation he will rubber-stamp it over the weekend," wrote Salt Lake City Weekly columnist Jerre Wroble.


Link:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/09/protesters-flood-utah-statehouse-as-governor-signs-law-restricting-access-to-public-records/