University of Oregon Professor Bill Harbaugh (right), a classic troublemaker, has been relentlessly hassling the administrators of his university for many years. As just one example, it seems likely that he's one of the voices (if not the only voice) reflected on the anonymous blog UO Matters. Back in September, he made waves when he posted to the internet a copy of an extensive manual on Oregon law regarding public records, which had been produced by the state attorney general's office. The AG's office had been asserting that the manual was subject to copyright protection, and it was charging $25 a copy for it. Oh, the irony.

Well, lo and behold, today that office has not only reversed itself and posted the manual to the internet, where it is available free, but also launched a serious initiative to enhance compliance with, and implementation of, the public records and public meetings laws. The press release from the state explains that, in addition to the posting of the full manual --

[t]he Oregon Department of Justice web site now includes a Citizen's Guide to Public Records and Public Meetings. The guide is designed for citizens who need a quick and easy understanding of Oregon’s open government laws.

A new online Public Records Request Form is also now available. Previously, public records request forms needed to be printed out and mailed or faxed. The form is designed for requesting records from the Department of Justice.

Attorney General Kroger also has created the Government Transparency Counsel, a new position in the Department of Justice designed to ensure that state government properly complies with state transparency laws.

The next step is a systematic review of Oregon's open government laws to identify weak points and suggest improvements for the 2011 Legislature. This effort requires input from the public, the media and government officials. To that end, Attorney General Kroger will conduct meetings around the state that will be co-sponsored by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers' Association.