(The Center Square) – More calls are coming for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to veto part of a bill passed in the closing hours of the legislative session to allow for higher fees to be charged for certain public records.
The higher fees for specific public records were part of House Bill 315, a 441-page bill introduced on the last day of the legislative session and quickly passed by the Republican-dominated House and Senate.
Among other things, it allows law enforcement agencies to charge high fees for public body camera, dashboard camera and surveillance footage requests.
“Taxpayers have already funded these cameras and footage. Charging additional fees for access is wrong and undermines transparency,” Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, said. “This footage has often been critical in uncovering the truth in police shootings and other incidents. Justice should not come with a price tag.”
The bill allows agencies to charge up to $75 per hour of video processing, with a cap of $750.
The Black Caucus believes the fees create a roadblock for families, the media and community groups to access the public record, particularly when seeking accountability for things that affect Black and minority communities.
When families seek answers or communities demand accountability, these records provide clarity. Charging the public for access erodes trust and justice,” Upchurch said.
The push comes a few days after the House Democratic Caucus encouraged DeWine to line-item veto the same provisions, along with parts of other bills.
Those requests came in a letter to DeWine and included the controversial House Bill 8, also known as the Parents Bill of Rights. That bill, among other things, includes a provision that requires school personnel to notify parents if a student confides to be gay or has gender identity concerns.
It also requires school districts to allow religious release time during the school day.