From The Colorado Statesman:  Democratic lawmakers have teamed with the libertarian Independence Institute to craft 2016 legislation that would lower a major hurdle for Coloradans seeking access to public records.

In an unusual pairing of players from opposite sides of the political spectrum, state Sen. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, and state Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, are working with liberty-politics lightning rod Jon Caldara’s Independence Institute to update Colorado’s Open Records Act for the digital age. As proposed, the bill would do away with time-consuming and costly printing and photocopying by requiring that officials turn over requested electronic records in electronic formats and at no charge.

“Sen. Kefalas working with the Independence Institute; that’s about as much of an odd couple in the Legislature as you can get,” said state Rep. Justin Everett, R-Littleton.

The “odd couple” supporters of the idea say it’s about ratcheting up government accountability, which is in everyone’s interest, no matter where they might stand on the political spectrum.

At a Dec. 16 meeting on the bill at the Capitol, Kefalas said he is hoping to add a Republican co-sponsor.

“I would welcome the support,” he said.

Caldara, who is president of the Independence Institute, said he is waiting to see final language before committing full support to the bill, but he said the idea just makes sense.

“I’m thrilled Kefalas is taking up what is a minor change to (the open records act), and a very commonsense (change) at that. We’re on the same page,” Caldara said. “The idea is to be able to get public information in the format in which the government makes it.

“Not all branches of the government and not all departments in the state are as equally forthcoming with public information,” he said. “Nearly all of it is in electronic format, and it’s easier for someone who is doing research to get it in that form.”

Kefalas was moved to propose the bill after reading an editorial from The Fort Collins Coloradoan about the newspaper’s frustrated efforts to gain access to a digital version of the payroll records of Colorado State University’s 5,000-member staff and faculty.

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