Gronstal questions plan to charge for requests
DES MOINES — A state Senate leader questioned a new policy of charging lawyer fees for public record requests, but Gov. Chet Culver defended the decision.
The Legislature will examine the policy, designed to discourage time-consuming requests by reporters and the public under Iowa’s open records law, said Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal on Wednesday.
Open record advocates have said they worry the new policy will institute a costly barrier to openness throughout state government.
‘‘I’m not a fan of fees that make it more expensive for people’’ to obtain public records, Gronstal said at a meeting with Des Moines Register reporters and editors.
Culver’s legal counsel confirmed this week it had told agencies they could charge for the time lawyers spend examining documents for confidential information.
The governor said at a news conference Wednesday that such a policy makes sense.
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