Open gov't advocates welcome ruling

Associated Press

BARRY MASSEY,Associated Press

Updated: Jul 30, 2012 2:16 PM

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The state Court of Appeals has ruled that citizens have a right to access to public records kept by an independent contractor on behalf of a governmental agency.

A lawyer for the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government said Monday the decision was important for preserving government transparency.

The court issued the decision last week in a case involving the city of Truth or Consequences and a nonprofit corporation operating a public access cable channel for the community.

The court ruled that video recordings of city commission meetings, which were made by the contractor to show on the cable system, were subject to the Inspection of Public Records Act.

The appeals court reversed a state district judge who had decided the recordings were not public records.

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