The state’s Open Records Law, which grants access to public records, got some fresh air last night.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted to support an amended bill that would strengthen the law, speed up the time in which records would be available to the public, and train public officials who are carrying out the law.

The bill, sponsored by Senators J. Michael Lenihan, of East Greenwich, and V. Susan Sosnowski, of South Kingstown, had the backing of the League of Women Voters, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, The Rhode Island Press Association, the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, Access Rhode Island and Common Cause Rhode Island. A similar bill is winding its way through the House.

In a compromise, the bill reduces the amount of time that public bodies have to respond to open records requests, from 10 days to 7; the bill originally asked for 3 business days to respond. Police departments would have 24 hours to respond to requests to provide arrest reports.

The bill also makes clear that people could ask for records without being required to identify themselves or why they are seeking the information –– a problem with some public agencies, including police departments, that have been wary about releasing information.

That’s why the training requirement in the bill is key, said Barbara Meagher, of Access Rhode Island. Some of the people deciding what records can be released are unfamiliar with the law, she said, but this will ensure that they understand what the law allows.

The only opposition came from the attorney general’s office.

While committee Chairman Michael McCaffrey offered Joee M. Lindbeck, of the attorney general’s legislation and policy unit, a chance to review the amendment before testifying even without looking, she said the attorney general was opposed.

“We think it’s detrimental to an ongoing criminal investigation,” Lindbeck said.

What would the attorney general feel comfortable releasing, McCaffrey asked.

“The basic ID of the arrestee and no more, depending on the circumstances,” Lindbeck said.

That prompted Steve Brown, of the ACLU, to tell the committee that the attorney general’s office had also testified against the bill on the House side –– even opposing releasing basic information about an arrestee.

“I would hope that we live in a society where we do not arrest people and hold them incommunicado for two days, or [more],” Brown said.

The bills in the House and Senate emerged from a report by the ACLU on poor response by the government to open records requests.

amilkovi@projo.com