Committee staff described changes to how public correspondence will be handled to protect personal information. "The biggest one is kind of pulling it down off the website where it was made available to the public," a staff member said, explaining that posting correspondence online can expose private details to bad actors.
Staff said names and contact information for members and personal information in letters create privacy risk; they will redact records covered by statute and will distribute submitted materials to committee members by secure email. "The records are still available to the public if they request them," staff said, and added that a form on the select-committee website will automatically route submissions to members and staff. Staff indicated the form was expected to go live June 1.
Why it matters: the change is intended to balance public-access obligations with privacy and security concerns and to streamline staff handling of correspondence.
Members asked staff to add guidance on the website about public-record implications for submitters and to offer follow-up contact to clarify intended recipients when letters lack clear addressee instructions.