Lawmaker is back again with plan to shield records on Kentucky public officers
Kentucky state Sen. Danny Carroll is back this year with another controversial proposal that would shield personal information about a wide range of "public officers" and their families from public view — and would let them sue journalists and others who spread such details.
The Kentucky Press Association sharply criticized the legislation this week, saying it's unconstitutional and "a broadside attack on the First Amendment" that violates Kentuckians' due process rights and "will chill the ability of citizens and journalists alike to speak and write about" public servants.
"It will conceal from the public basic information that has long been available — without incident — and is essential for citizens to oversee elected and appointed public officials paid with their tax dollars," the KPA's general counsel, Jon Fleischaker and Michael Abate, said in a statement.
"It also will jeopardize the ability of businesses, agencies and courts to perform routine public functions that depend on the free flow of information regarding public records concerning birth, death, marriage, insurance, property ownership, taxes and political contributions."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/lawmaker-back-again-plan-shield-102229039.html