|
|
Jim Hood on Government Reform |
Emails and others correspondence reveal that numerous key legislators all were receiving updates on how the PERS Board of Trustees might change its regulations to adhere to the AG's opinion.
Hood said the emails prove that the law should be changed so that legislators are not exempt from the public records law. "These communications clearly show why legislators should be subject to the Open Records Act like all other state and local elected officials," he said. "They should have to list those with whom they meet on legislation or who wines and dines them."
For decades, retired teachers and other retired state employees have abstained for running for legislative offices because of concerns about hurting themselves financially. The state has about 321,500 retired state government workers. The public education advocacy group Parents' Campaign said that the attorney general's opinion is "game-changing," because retired teachers could serve in the Legislature without taking a hit to the pocketbook.
#"Teachers and superintendents of education and people that worked in state government--they understand how state government works," Hood said. "I think if those people run for office, we would have a better-educated Legislature."
