Tuesday, August 11, 2026
TARR IN THE NEWS | 7.31.26
TARR IN THE NEWS | 7.31.26
'Senate OKs records access bill as November ballot fight looms'
By Sam Drysdale | Daily Hampshire Gazette
EXCERPT BELOW:
"The debate opened with Minority Leader Bruce Tarr pressing Democratic Sen. Cindy Creem over that issue, questioning how the bill would interact with Question 1, which qualified for the November ballot after supporters gathered more than 91,000 signatures.
“The voters of the commonwealth have already invited themselves into this process,” he said, noting the Legislature was considering the measure “approximately 96 days before they will have the opportunity to opine on the very subject that is reflected in the substance of this bill.
“We should do nothing that will interfere with the ability of the voters to express their opinion and to provide their input,” he added."
AND
"The Senate also rejected, 33-6, a broader Tarr amendment that would have, in some ways, mirrored the ballot initiative by creating a presumption that legislative records are public unless disclosure would violate Article 21, while also removing the “sole and exclusive” language. Democrat Keenan joined the Republicans in favor of the amendment.
Tarr warned the exclusivity clause could trigger litigation if voters approve Question 1.
“We could wind up with two competing provisions of law on the very important subject of public records,” Tarr said, arguing his amendment would “allow us to act without the potential of interference with what might happen at the ballot box.”
The amendment also would have required legislative records officers to proactively publish records online rather than waiting for requests. "
READ THE FULL ARTICLE ⬇
🔗 https://gazettenet.com/2026/07/31/senate-passes-records-access-bill/
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