A local legislator says volunteer fire departments, rescue organizations and ambulance companies should be exempt from the Right-To-Know Law.

State Rep. Lee James, R-64th, drafted a section of a larger package of bills designed to improve recruitment and retention of firefighters and emergency responders that would exempt certain emergency response providers from dealing with right-to-know requests.

“Volunteer fire and EMS companies do not have the resources for this type of mandate, whether these resources are financial or human,” James said in a news release. “Our volunteer emergency organizations should not be expending their resources on a governmental function — which does and should not apply to a private emergency organization — especially when they are already struggling with recruitment and retention of first responders.”

James said any funding or assistance that is provided to the state's emergency services organizations through local or state government continue to be subject to the Right-To-Know Law.

James said a debate exists over whether volunteer organizations must respond to right-to-know requests, as the state Office of Open Records ruled that they are “similar governmental entities” because firefighting is defined as a governmental function.

Several common pleas court decisions have ruled against Office of Open Records, while others have upheld the office's ruling.

Steve Bicehouse, Butler County's director of emergency services, said right-to-know requests come with stringent requirements.

“I can see how that would be an issue for some departments,” Bicehouse said. “They don't have a full-time secretary or anyone in the department to process them, especially with the timing restrictions.”

Alison Evans, spokeswoman for James, said only volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue organizations would be exempt from the right-to-know law.

Right-to-know requests regarding volunteer organizations would be directed to the municipality served by the fire department or ambulance crew or rescue group, she said.

“It's just taking away the paperwork burden of volunteers, who have so much on their plates already,” Evans said.

James said the bill has passed the House with bipartisan support and is on its way to the Senate.