Missouri House votes for option to close records

Missouri House members will have the option to make some of their emails confidential, despite a voter-approved requirement that made their work records open to the public.

House members in a voice vote approved the change Tuesday as part of a broader package of internal House rules.

Republican House Majority Leader Rob Vescovo originally proposed making lawmakers’ records on party strategy and correspondence with constituents confidential.

But Republican Rep. Nick Schroer on Tuesday recommended giving individual lawmakers the discretion to close those records or leave them open.

Missouri voters in November overwhelmingly approved Constitutional Amendment 1, which added lawmakers to a long list of taxpayer-paid officials subject to the state’s open-records law. The law gives the public access to government records.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said before the vote that there’s no need for the change and Democrats would fight it.

Sign up for email news alerts by clicking here