House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will amend Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes and permit agencies to hold executive sessions on security issues.

While I believe it is imperative that the operations of Commonwealth agencies remain transparent, these agencies must be provided the ability to restrict confidential information regarding sensitive matters from being released to the public. The publication of classified information, such as security measures, equipment, and personnel, could jeopardize the safety of the agency.

My legislation attempts to address this issue by amending 65 Pa.C.S. §708(a) and permitting agencies to hold executive sessions to discuss or plan the specific details pertaining to security issues. As defined in the provisions of current law, an executive session excludes the public, except for those individuals necessary to carry out the purpose of the meeting. This legislation will provide agencies with the ability to guarantee that the agency is prepared for any potential security threats, while ensuring that confidential information regarding security measures are not revealed to those individuals terrorizing the agency.