JACKSON — A new Mississippi law could decrease the amount of money people pay to obtain public records.
Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 928 on Monday, and it becomes law July 1.
It says that when a person requests government records, a board or agency can only require reimbursement of costs incurred by the lowest-level employee competent to fulfill the request.
Some agencies have driven up the cost of public records by charging hourly fees for attorneys to examine them.
The Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information and the Mississippi Press Association were among the groups pushing for the change in the interest of open government.
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