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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 14, 2013 07:37 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Andrew E. Dinniman |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | State Related Universities |
| I plan to introduce legislation that will change the Right to Know Law to include state-related universities by specifically noting in the Law’s definition of state-affiliated entity that the types of Commonwealth authorities and entities that are included under the term includes the state-related institutions, specifically, Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Lincoln University. The bill was introduced by Senator Blake as SB 1377 in the 2011-2012 session Currently, the definition specifically states that those four specific universities are not included in the types of Commonwealth authorities or entities that are included in the definition of state-affiliated entity. The expressed exclusion of those four specific universities from the term creates the broad exemption afforded to those universities. After eliminating the exemption in the Law, the legislation removes from the Law the duty it places on the four specified universities to make certain annual reports. Requiring such reports in lieu of providing access to its records as the Law currently does creates a disparity in the public scrutiny permitted of those universities’ records and those records of the Commonwealth’s state-owned universities. State-owned universities are not afforded the exemption and their records are subject to the Right to Know law. After passage of the legislation, all state-owned and state-related universities will be equally subject to the Law. Both state-owned and state-related universities receive taxpayer dollars and state appropriations. Both entities should be equally accountable, open and transparent to the public. The legislation will improve a good law already working in PA. |