Office of Open Records

The Office of Open Records is relocating!

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Beginning November 24, 2025, the OOR’s new mailing address will be:

Pennsylvania Office of Open Records
555 Walnut Street, Suite 605
Harrisburg PA 17101

Starting on November 20, 2025, the OOR will only able to receive postal mail on a limited basis. Accordingly, there may be a slight delay in docketing any appeal or submissions filed via postal mail.  Any appeals will not be prejudiced as to timeliness. Because most OOR staff will be working remotely until at least December 8, 2025, we strongly encourage requesters and agencies to use the appeal portal for appeal submissions and correspondence, and to contact the OOR via phone or email for other matters.

Agencies are also asked to update all website listings, forms, letter templates, and other resources with the OOR’s new mailing address.

OOR’s 2024 Annual Report

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The Office of Open Records is proud to present its 2024 Annual Report.  Highlights from report include:

  • 3,227 appeals filed with the OOR, making it another record break year for appeals.
  • Of those appeals, 2,490 appeals involved local agencies and 623 involved state agencies.
  • More than half, or 56.55%, were filed by everyday citizens.
  • Top 10 issues most raised on appeal and addressed by OOR.
  • Ten examples of transparency resulting in public records accessed via the RTKL.
  • Top OOR accomplishments in 2024.
  • 94 mediations to resolve appeals and 47 training sessions conducted across the Commonwealth.

The OOR is required to “annually report on its activities and findings to the Governor and the General Assembly” (Section 1310(a)(9) of the Right-to-Know Law). 

Previous annual reports are available here.

Join Us During Sunshine Week: Getting to Know PA’s Transparency Laws

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In honor of Sunshine Week 2025, join us in-person or virtually on March 17 (11 a.m. – 12 p.m.) for a round-up of the major decisions and happenings with Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law and the Sunshine Act. Paula Knudsen Burke, the Pennsylvania-based attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, will moderate a panel that includes: 

  • Liz Wagenseller, Executive Director of OOR;
  • Melissa Melewsky, Media Law Counsel at the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association; and
  • Scott Coburn, Counsel and Education Director for the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.

Location:
In-person: State Archives, 1681 N. Sixth St.  Harrisburg, PA
Virtual: Microsoft Teams

Reserve your spot today!

CLE will be available for $15/credit hour through PSATS. Forms will be available at the event and CLE recipients will be invoiced.

The event will begin with a short presentation of The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Advocate of the Year Award.

Pennsylvania Good Government Symposium

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Hosted by Pennsylvania’s State Ethics Commission and Office of Open Records

Good government is basic principle, built on the foundation of public trust and the exchange of information between governments and the public they serve.

As a government employee, how can you be a steward of good government? What are your legal obligations? Join the executive directors of the State Ethics Commission and Office of Open Records on March 19th from 10:00 – 12:00 for a virtual training on the Ethics Act and Right-to-Know Law.

Reserve your spot to the training here.

Additional Details

The Ethics Act states that public office is a public trust. Efforts to realize financial gain through public office or employment other than compensation provided by law is a violation of that trust. In this presentation, learn what the Ethics Act is and how the State Ethics Commission enforces it, review some of the most-frequently violated Ethics Act provisions, and discover how to spot a potential problem so you can stay on the right side of the Ethics Act – and out of the newspapers!   The Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) aims to enhance government transparency and accountability by ensuring public access to government records. In Pennsylvania, all government records are presumed public. But what does this really mean? In this presentation, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the RTKL process from beginning to end. The presentation will also explore various types of exempt information that can be withheld and offer practical tips on how to avoid common pitfalls throughout the process.

OOR Updates the Standard RTKL Request Form and OOR’s RTKL Request Policy

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The Office of Open Records has two important updates to share:

1) We have updated the Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form.  Among other changes, the form is now two pages and includes a required checkbox affirming that the provided name and contact information is accurate and that the requester is a legal resident of the U.S..

2)The policy for requesting OOR Records has been modified and can be reviewed here. Notably, requests to the OOR must be made on either the OOR’s Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form or by using the OOR’s Online Form.

Greetings from Liz Wagenseller, Executive Director

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Hello, blog readers and fellow supporters of government transparency and accountability, As the newly appointed Executive Director I am honored to lead such a vital office in Pennsylvania.

We should be eternally grateful for the work of my predecessor, Erik Arneson. From his critical involvement in the drafting the Right to Know Law to leading the OOR to new levels, he is truly a legend in the movement to improve accountability and transparency in government.

I am already greatly impressed by the dedication and drive demonstrated by the staff at OOR. They clearly believe that their work is not simply a job but part of a mission to make Pennsylvania work better for everyone.

The article linked below provides more details about my background and vision for OOR.

Sincerely,
Liz Wagenseller

https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2021/01/pennsylvania-open-records-office-director-liz-wagenseller/

New Citizens’ Guide to the RTKL and Sunshine Act

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Open records_logo stacked

The OOR’s Citizens’ Guide to the Right-to-Know Law and Sunshine Act is an introduction to these two laws, both of which promote government transparency.

The Citizens’ Guide has been completely rewritten and the new version is available now.

The RTKL, also known as the open records law, grants access to public records. The Sunshine Act, also known as the open meetings law, ensures access to public meetings.

The Citizens’ Guide, a 12-page PDF, includes sections on how to file a request, agencies subject to the RTKL, fees under the RTKL, how to file an appeal, and more.

2 New Draft Sample Forms for Public Comment

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Open records_logo stacked

The Office of Open Records has posted two new draft sample forms and is seeking public comment on both.

The Right-to-Know Law and other statutes make various records public, including certain records from law enforcement agencies and county coroners. The OOR often dockets appeals involving these types of records. In an effort to help these agencies provide information under the RTKL, and to help requesters across the state receive more uniform responses, the OOR has prepared these two sample forms.

Law enforcement agencies and county coroners would not be required to use the forms, but doing so could help reduce the workload related to responding to RTKL requests. (These forms do not represent the totality of information available from these agencies, but they do represent some of the most commonly requested information.)

Public comment on the draft forms will be accepted through Monday, Feb. 8, 2021.

The best way to comment is via email to openrecords@pa.gov or by using the form available on the Contact page at the OOR website. Comments can also be submitted via postal mail (Office of Open Records, 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2234) and fax (717-425-5343).