Prison- documents shield clears House

The House approved a bill Tuesday exempting emergency-preparedness documents held by the Department of Community Correction from disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act. House Bill 1469 by Rep. Dwight Tosh, R- Jonesboro, passed 95- 0. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Tosh said the Arkansas Department of Correction already has a similar exemption, and he had not heard any opposition to his bill.

It passed as other bills were filed to exempt security documents from disclosure. Rep. DeAnn Vaught, R- Horatio, on Tuesday filed House Bills 1588 and 1590 to exempt from disclosure information possessed by Arkansas State Police concerning the Governor’s Mansion. — Brian Fanney