by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Pointing to a need for privacy in sensitive situations, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said Sunday (July 2) the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) needs to change to adapt to modern times.

“One thing I want to mention that really is driving a lot of my interest here was the ransomware issue with Little Rock School District. The Little Rock School District was a victim of a ransomware [attack]. And the way the FOIA law is currently written, they have to discuss their strategy on dealing with ransomware in public. That’s ridiculous,” Griffin said. “That’s like asking the U.S. Army to strategize and plan a battle in public… We’ve got to change that.”

Griffin, who announced last month he was forming a working group of legislators and FOIA stakeholders to advise him privately, appeared on this week’s Capitol View and Talk Business & Politics programs. He said there was a legislative commission report from the year 2000 that contemplated technological changes that would require amending the FOIA law.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/07/ag-griffin-says-foia-law-needs-to-modernize/