A bill that would have strengthened South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act died earlier this month in the Senate as time ran out in the regular legislative session.
Among other things, the legislation would have lowered costs for public records and shortened the time government officials have to respond to FOIA requests. An amendment to the bill would have eliminated a provision in the law that allows legislators and their staffs to withhold their correspondence from the public.
In the video report below, Nerve intern Katie Geer explains what the legislation would have done and explores why it failed, interviewing key players in the debate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2J-2KYD6Zc
Reach Geer at katieg@thenerve.org.