MADISON -- Governor Scott Walker and top Republican lawmakers have reversed course on controversial changes to the state's open records laws.
Walker says he and GOP legislative leaders have agreed to completely remove a part of the proposed state budget that would severely roll back the state’s open records laws.
Walker announced the decision in a joint statement Saturday, July 4th with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee.
The statement says the records proposal “will be removed from the budget in its entirety.” They say the plan “was never intended to inhibit transparent government in any way.”
The restrictions, which Republicans slipped into the proposed budget late Thursday, would exempt nearly everything created by government officials from Wisconsin’s open records law.
The statement says the Legislature will form a committee to study the issue and allow for public discussion.
Governor Scott Walker, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and the Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs, Senator Alberta Darling and Representative John Nygren, released the following statement on the provisions to the state’s open records law included in Motion 999:
Democrats responded to the proposal on Monday, July 6th.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca said Republicans were "drunk with power."
"It is outrageous, absolutely outrageous that they believe the people of this state should not have access to their government, to the actions of their government employees, including the legislators who work for them and be able to deny us access," Rep. Barca said.
Additionally, Democratic legislative leaders issued this statement:
Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic issued this statement: