Pennsylvania codified a citizen’s right to access government records in Act 3 of 2008, called the Right to Know (RTK) Law. This law also established the state Office of Open Records. The law governs the release of records, not answering questions. A record is defined as “any information regardless of its physical form or character that documents a transaction or activity of an agency and is created, received, or retained pursuant to law or in connection with a transaction, business or activity of an agency.”
_______________ Township provides open access to the public records of the Township in accordance with the Right to Know law. The Township instituted __(RESOLUTION)_____________ to establish procedures for complying with the act. Citizens need only complete an RTK Request Form to receive a public record. A request may be made in person or by mail, email, or fax.
Click here for the Right to Know Request Form – This can be linked to your Township’s form instead of the state form.
Name of AORO
Name
Address
Phone
Email – AORO’s email address is a resource account.
Points of Common Request links
Board of Supervisor Meeting Minutes
Planning Meeting Minute
To appeal the response to a request or for information concerning Pennsylvania’s open records laws, please contact the state Office of Open Records:
Office of Open Records
333 Market Street, 16th Floor
Harrisburgh, PA 17126-0333
Phone 717-346-9903 * Fax 717-425-5343
OpenRecords@Pa.gov
The township charges the fees listed in the Pennsylvania “Office of Open Records Official RTKL Fee Structure”
Above is an example of what could be on a Right to Know webpage.
Information on the OOR Review of RTKL Request Webpages may be found at this link
https://openrecordspennsylvania.com/2021/04/22/review-of-rtkl-request-webpages/
Below is a list of recommendations provided by Liz Wagenseller, Executive Director of the Office of Open Records. According to her, some of these are “absolutely should have” and some are more “bonus points for taking an extra step.”
- Easy access from homepage (ex. On homepage or drop-down menu)
- Can find via search on website by typing “Right to Know.”
- Can find via search engine by typing agency name and “right to know.”
- Points to where commonly requested records exist.
- Name of AORO is provided; matches AORO name in our database.
- Provides for AORO: email, phone, physical address, fax.
- AORO’s email address is a resource account.
- Offers info for how to request records in person.
- Explains Office of Open Records is for appeals and provides contact info.
- Provides RTK request form.
- Provides agency’s policies/procedures/regulations for RTK requests.
- Does not have outdated COVID info (ex. Will resume RTK request processing once our offices open again)
Please contact PSATS to discuss.