HARRISBURG — Efforts to overhaul Pennsylvania's open records law advanced another step Wednesday as the state House of Representatives unanimously passed its version of a bill intended to make a wider assortment of records available to the public.

But more work lies ahead for lawmakers to come up with a measure that Gov. Ed Rendell can sign.

The legislative session is winding down for the Christmas holiday, and the Senate must decide whether to accept a number of mostly minor changes the House made to the Senate's open records bill, which passed in November. The House passed its version 191-0 without any debate on the Legislature's last session day before the holiday.

The House bill would delay full implementation until 2009, locate the office to mediate access disputes in the State Ethics Commission rather than the Department of Community and Economic Development, and ban agencies from charging for research, redaction and copying time.

It would also provide greater access to legislative records, but prevent disclosure of birth dates and phone numbers in public records — a provision opposed by news organizations and one that the Senate might disagree with.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi said Wednesday that the open records bill is his top priority. He said the Senate should be ready to take action in the first week or two after it returns to Harrisburg on Jan. 14, but added that the House amendments would require close scrutiny.