Beginning November 24, 2025, the OOR’s new mailing address will be: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records555 Walnut Street, Suite 605Harrisburg PA 17101 Starting on November 20, 2025, the OOR will only able to receive postal mail on a limited basis. Accordingly, there may be a slight delay in docketing any appeal or submissions filed via … Continue reading The Office of Open Records is relocating!
Request sought disciplinary records and additional information about four officers involved in the arrest of Luigi Mangione, as well as public statements and formal responses relating to his arrest. The agency proved that some records do not exist in its possession, custody, or control. Some records were facially exempt under Section 708(b)(7), which protects certain … Continue reading Transparency Zone, July/August 2025
Request sought EDU waitlists. On appeal, the Borough granted the Request but charged a fee outside the statutory limitations for the responsive records. Accordingly, the Borough shall only charge the Requester a reasonable fee for the records in line with the OOR’s fee schedule. 2025-0514 Request sought auditable records, including CVRs and ballot images, among … Continue reading Apri/May/June 2025 Transparency Zone
Recently, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) matters has become increasingly commonplace. While nothing currently prohibits the use of AI when crafting a request, appeal, or submission to the Office of Open Records (OOR), users should be aware of the risks before doing so. AI chatbots are currently not reliable … Continue reading Artificial Intelligence and the Right-to-Know Law: Be Aware of the Risks
A recent Spotlight PA and Resolve Philly article detailed how some counties seize Social Security benefits from foster children under their care. This brought awareness and criticism to an important issue. A companion article outlined the methodology in capturing the financial data. The journalists sent RTKL requests for records related to the county collection of … Continue reading Mediation: One of the OOR’s Best-Kept Secrets
The Local General Government code provides that any information obtained from “a tax audit, tax return, tax report, investigation of tax liability, administrative hearing regarding tax liability or verification with respect to tax liability” is confidential, and the OOR has found that this restriction applies even in cases where taxes are levied against entities other … Continue reading Transparency Zone, January/February/March 2025
Exemption 708(b)(11) protects trade secrets or proprietary information that might be divulged in the release of a record. Chief Counsel Kyle Applegate provided the legal analysis. As of April 9, 2025, this exemption has been cited in 359 OOR appeals. Section 708(b)(11) exempts: “A record that constitutes or reveals a trade secret or confidential proprietary … Continue reading Exemptions, Explained: 708 (b)(11), Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information
Yesterday morning the Executive Directors of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission and Office of Open Records joined together for a virtual training on the Ethics Act and Right-to-Know Law. The entire session is available to watch on the OOR’s YouTube channel and both of the presentations are available here:State Ethics Commission Presentation (PDF)Office of Open … Continue reading Presentations from Pennsylvania Good Government Symposium
The Office of Open Records is proud to present its 2024 Annual Report. Highlights from report include: The OOR is required to “annually report on its activities and findings to the Governor and the General Assembly” (Section 1310(a)(9) of the Right-to-Know Law). Previous annual reports are available here.
In honor of Sunshine Week 2025, join us in-person or virtually on March 17 (11 a.m. – 12 p.m.) for a round-up of the major decisions and happenings with Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law and the Sunshine Act. Paula Knudsen Burke, the Pennsylvania-based attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, will moderate a panel … Continue reading Join Us During Sunshine Week: Getting to Know PA’s Transparency Laws
| Docket | Date | Title | County | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20253480 | 11/26/2025 | John Miller v. East Pikeland Township | Chester | Transferred |
| 20253258 | 11/26/2025 | William Sloss v. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation | Commonwealth | |
| 20253143 | 11/26/2025 | Jo Ciavaglia and Bucks County Courier Times v. Bucks County Sheriff's Office | Bucks | Granted |
| 20253085 | 11/26/2025 | Shantee Maharaj v. Norristown Municipality | Montgomery | Partially Denied: Partially Dismissed |
| 20253071 | 11/26/2025 | Yosef Cohen v. City of Philadelphia Law Department | Philadelphia | Dismissed: Moot |
| 20252983 | 11/26/2025 | Anne Wakabayashi v. Northampton County | Northampton | Granted |
| 20252878 | 11/26/2025 | Michael Morris v. Berlin Township | Wayne | Partially Granted/Partially Denied |
| Date | Organization | |
|---|---|---|
| December 16, 2025, 12:00 PM | PSATs Right-to-Know Training Webinar | |
| December 17, 2025, 10:00 AM | The Latest Developments in the Right-to-Know Law and Sunshine Act | |
| January 16, 2026, 12:00 AM | Clearfield Borough Sunshine Act Webinar | |
| January 22, 2026, 11:00 AM | Gettysburg Borough Right-to-Know Training |
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