The Tennessee House recently passed legislation proposed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee that would allow the state’s tourism public records to be kept secret from the public eye for up to 10 years. The bill would give the head of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development the authority to exempt sensitive records from public disclosure, similar to exemptions already in place for the Department of Economic and Community Development.
Republican sponsors of the bill argue that this measure is necessary to protect trade secrets and proprietary information during negotiations with businesses and tourism interests. They specifically mentioned the possibility of hosting a Super Bowl in the state as a reason for keeping certain information private.
Democrats, however, criticized the bill for reducing government transparency and limiting public access to information about government spending. Despite opposition, the bill passed with a 69-16 vote in the House, with four members voting present. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Republican Rep. Andrew Farmer emphasized that the goal of the bill is not to hide information or misuse funds, but rather to protect sensitive information and ensure responsible financial practices in Tennessee. The Senate has not yet scheduled a hearing on the bill, and its fate remains uncertain.
Source
Photo credit www.washingtonpost.com