AZ ranks high in providing public records online

By FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press Writer

If Arizonans want to know whether their doctor or attorney has been cited by state authorities, an Internet search will provide the answer.

But, if parents want to find data on teacher certifications or school safety reports online, they're out of luck.

An audit released Sunday on the availability of online public records found that Arizona provides better access than 35 other U.S. states. Fourteen out of 20 types of records surveyed were available online, including physician disciplinary reports.

The Associated Press and its member newspapers, in partnership with the National Freedom of Information Coalition, the American Society of Newspaper Editor's FOI committee, and the Society of Professional Journalists, conducted the survey as part of the annual Sunshine Week campaign. Sunshine Week, designed to show the importance of open government and freedom of information, runs March 15-21.

Despite Arizona ranking among the top 15 states, public records advocates say state agencies can do more to keep residents from having to jump through hoops to obtain public information. They acknowledge Arizona is moving toward making records more accessible over the Internet.

"It's a matter of open government," said Pat Shannahan, ombudsman in Arizona's Citizens' Aide office, which helps citizens resolve problems with state agencies over public records. "This information belongs to the taxpayers, and the taxpayers should have access to it."

Texas was the only state that provided information online in all categories, according to the survey. Mississippi ranked last. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Nevada and Washington had online records in 14 of the categories.

Others records surveyed in Arizona either weren't considered public, including death certificates, or didn't exist. Some records, such as teacher certifications, school inspection and safety ratings, school bus inspections and environmental citations, are available by making a written request to the appropriate agency.

No public database is available to track how state and local governments spend taxpayer money, although a bill making its way through the Legislature seeks to change that. Individual agencies provide some information, but the survey found it often is not searchable online.

When it comes to posting records online, "there's always room for improvement," said DJ Harper, a spokesman for the Arizona Government Information Technology Agency, which encourages state agencies to make public records easily accessible online.

"Every time something comes out, we need to find a way to make it as available as possible. Agencies largely do that, they just sometimes do it in a way that is not easily accessible," he said. "Going the extra step is helpful."

Attorney Dan Barr of the Arizona First Amendment Coalition said the survey didn't produce meaningful results but he also noted Arizona can do better.

"Do we do better than other states? In some cases, yes, in some cases, no, and it depends on what kinds of records you're looking for," Barr said.

He said most everything eventually will be available through the click of a mouse, though posting public records online doesn't do much to ease people's concerns that their privacy won't be protected or that their identities could be stolen.

"It's just going to happen whether people want it to or not," Barr said. "We're going to a paperless world."

Shannahan said state agencies would save time and money by making records available online, instead of having to reply to individual requests, tracking down the documents and then making copies.

"As much as we can get online so that people can see it whenever they want for free is better," Shannahan said. "My perspective is more is better."

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On the Net:

Arizona ombudsman: http://www.azleg.gov/ombudsman

Sunshine Week: http://www.sunshineweek.org/