Our view: North Dakotans shouldn’t have to provide personal info when requesting documents they already own

When any particular person walks right into a public workplace – some metropolis corridor or faculty headquarters, as an example – they’re entitled to see any public document they need. That particular person doesn’t have to clarify, give their title or why they’ve an curiosity in that public document.

They don’t even should be from that city.

That’s not solely the legislation, it’s simply widespread sense. State legislation even spells it out, saying a public entity or its representatives “could not ask for the motive or motive for requesting the data or for the id of the particular person requesting data.”

Not everyone sees it that means. A proposal within the North Dakota Legislature seeks to alter the legislation in order that an individual requesting a public document should give their title and supply private contact data.” It’s

Home Invoice 1198

, launched by Rep. Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson.

Our recommendation to lawmakers: Don’t do that. Simply wad it up and toss it.

Right here’s why: The extra roadblocks which might be placed on public data, the much less they really grow to be “open” – at the least within the truest sense.

Already, there are charges connected to open data, and generally these charges can add up. An individual with out the cash due to this fact can’t simply entry a lot of paperwork. We perceive why there are charges connected – it’s as a result of public workers should course of the requests – however when a invoice is available in at $100 or extra, it definitely could be a deterrent.

At instances, newspapers within the Discussion board Communications Co. chain have paid hundreds of {dollars} to entry paperwork. We all know of 1 case the place $7,000 was spent.

But in addition, some requesters is perhaps hesitant to connect their title to a request as a result of it may elevate flags that finally may sway them from looking for the data.

What if an individual desires paperwork associated to a small-town mayor or sheriff? That might spark a confrontation, and it would sway the requester from going by way of the difficulty.

This stuff occur. We all know of a case in South Dakota, within the early 2000s, when a newspaper intern was despatched to an area Metropolis Corridor to request details about the chief of police. That intern was then detained in a separate room and questioned.

Everyone seems to be a member of the general public and all of us personal these data. So why ought to it matter who’s making the request for public paperwork?

And why ought to anybody have to supply private data to know what their authorities is as much as?

They shouldn’t should.

Public entities merely should present the paperwork which might be requested, with out query and with out bias. They might should grit their enamel now and again, however that is how transparency works.

For the sake of openness in North Dakota, we hope HB 1198 dies a fast demise.