UPDATED: 4:00 p.m.
Massachusetts Secretary William Galvin says he's considering pushing a ballot question to toughen enforcement of the state's public records law.
Galvin, who is responsible for overseeing requests for public records, said Tuesday that the current law doesn't have enough teeth.
Galvin said he'd like to have someone in the state Attorney General's office specifically assigned to handle cases he refers to them when state agencies refuse to respond to legitimate records requests.
A spokesman for Attorney General Maura Healey says she's committed to increasing access to public records.
Galvin said he'd also like to see the public records law expanded to partially include state lawmakers, who have exempted themselves.
Galvin made his comments following a public hearing on more than a dozen bills related to the state's public records laws.
EARLIER TUESDAY:
More than a dozen bills related to the state's public records laws are the subject of a hearing at the Massachusetts Statehouse.
Critics have long complained that Massachusetts public records laws are too cumbersome and restrictive.
One bill would require the state to make statements of financial interests filed by public officials available over the Internet while another would allow for the public inspection of records made or received by special state police officers at educational institutions.
Another bill would create a special commission to examine the maintenance, preservation and storage of municipal records while another would make all records now in the custody of the state secretary which are 90 years or older open to public inspection.
The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Statehouse.
