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URL of article: http://www.mediainfo.com/ephome/news/newshtm/stories/090500n10.htm
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Tuesday, September 5, 2000 MARYLAND NEWSPAPERS TEST ACCESS TO INFORMATION Public Documents Denied 3 Out of 4 Times Twenty newspapers joined forces to survey Maryland's ability to produce public records upon request and found that access is denied 50% of the time, The Associated Press reports. The daily and weekly newspapers, all members of the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, surveyed 23 counties and the city of Baltimore in June. The newspapers found that requests were promptly filled only one out of four times. The representatives requested documents covered by the public information law such as arrest and driving records, school violence reports, results of a nursing home inspection, and expense account filed by the local police chief and a copy of the county school superintendent's contract. Tom Marquardt, managing editor of The Capital in Annapolis and chairman of the survey committee, told the AP that, 'One thing we found out was a lack of understanding of what is a public document and what's not, what should be released and what shouldn't. That's what bothers us the most.' According to the survey, sheriff's and police departments were the worst offenders, providing arrest records in only six counties. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Staff Reports (c) Copyright 2000, Editor & Publisher
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