Tennessee Senate committee votes to hire new employees to clear Open Records backlog

February 17, 2016

Collins Parker,

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Senate Finance Committee has voted to approve funding for two new positions in Tennessee government to help clear a backlog of open record questions.

A recent comptroller’s audit documented more than 600 open or pending cases where citizens or governments had made requests to the Office of Open Records Counsel, which helps people obtain government records.

The office was created in 2008, but its duties have been covered by another staffer in Wilson’s office after its full-time lawyer left in 2014.

Wilson has requested nearly $265,000 in the budget to help with the growing number of requests for information. He says that Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has not yet committed to agreeing to the new spending.

The Senate Finance Committee approved the change on a voice vote Tuesday.