Rhode Island Lawmakers Renew Push to Overhaul Public Records Law

Advocates aim to expand access and transparency, but face opposition from state agencies.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:20pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a government office building or public records center, with warm sunlight streaming through the windows and deep shadows across the facade, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation around the issue of public access to information.Advocates for public records reform in Rhode Island face an uphill battle to update the state's outdated transparency laws.Providence Today

Rhode Island lawmakers and open government advocates are renewing their push to overhaul the state's outdated public records law, which has not been substantially updated since 2012. The proposed 15-page bill aims to clarify and expand provisions for public access, including reducing fees and making more government reports and data subject to disclosure. However, the sweeping reforms have historically faced resistance from the governor's office and other state agencies concerned about increased workloads and privacy issues.

Why it matters

Rhode Island's public records law has long been criticized as outdated and overly restrictive, limiting transparency and accountability in state government. Advocates argue that comprehensive updates are necessary to align the law with modern standards and ensure the public's right to access information about their elected officials and government operations.

The details

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight, includes 49 changes ranging from minor language tweaks to major updates. New provisions include specifying that labeling a government report as a 'draft' does not exempt it from public disclosure, a response to delays in releasing the Washington Bridge audit report. The bill also aims to reduce the costs associated with public records requests, increasing the number of free hours from one to two and cutting the per-page copy fee from 15 to 5 cents. Additionally, it would make traffic accident data, emails/texts of officials, police body cam footage, and internal misconduct investigations subject to public records law.

  • The House Committee on State Government and Elections is scheduled to hold a first hearing on the bill on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
  • The Senate companion bill has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.

The players

Rep. Jason Knight

A Barrington Democrat and the sponsor of the House public records reform bill. He is one of four Democrats running for the open state Attorney General seat.

Steven Brown

Executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and a member of the ACCESS/RI open government coalition.

Rep. Rebecca Kislak

A Providence Democrat who has introduced a separate bill to make state traffic accident data public.

Gov. Dan McKee

The Rhode Island governor whose office has historically opposed public records law reforms, citing concerns about workloads and privacy.

Rep. Earl Read III

A Coventry Democratic representative who has introduced a bill to require identification for anyone requesting public records.

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What they’re saying

“We've gotten away from the idea in state government that we should have a presumption of open records. We should not be working to find ways to keep records confidential.”

— Rep. Jason Knight, State Representative

“The transparency around the bridge has been horrendous and awful and terrible and any other word I can come up with for it being bad.”

— Rep. Jason Knight, State Representative

“If changes are going to be made, they should be addressing major concerns.”

— Steven Brown, Executive Director, ACLU of Rhode Island

What’s next

The House Committee on State Government and Elections is expected to hold the bill for further study after the initial hearing, which is standard practice. A hearing on the Senate companion bill has not yet been scheduled.

The takeaway

Rhode Island's public records law has long been criticized as outdated and restrictive, limiting transparency in state government. This latest push for comprehensive reforms aims to expand access and accountability, but faces familiar opposition from the executive branch and other agencies resistant to increased disclosure requirements.