Vermont lawmakers have approved a bill requiring police to release records of their investigations, handing a significant victory to open-government advocates who have long criticized law enforcement for operating with little transparency.
The bill, proposed by Gov. Peter Shumlin and backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups, was passed by lawmakers in a voice vote hours before they adjourned Tuesday, and should upend law enforcement's practice of asserting a blanket authority to keep records of all their investigations sealed if they wish.
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