Failed to pass both houses, will not become law this session
Under Wisconsin’s Open Records Law, public officials generally must retain all public records — including emails — and the public has a right to inspect public records upon request.
Currently state legislative offices must turn over records to the public upon receiving a request for information, but there is no legal obligation for legislators to keep their records prior to a request being made. This bill would remove the record retention exemption for members of the legislature and would mandate that they be “preserved for permanent use.”
This bill enhances government transparency and accountability by preventing legislators and their staff from destroying records.